Madison Senior Center

Posted on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 at 12:31 pm

In late June of 1983 the Madison Senior Center opened with a week-long celebration. This one million dollar facility was the first building in Madison designed specifically as a center for older people and built as a public and private collaboration.

Primary financial support came from the City of Madison and private donations were received from the Rotary Club of Madison, the United Madison Community Foundation, the Walker Fund for the elderly, the Brittingham Madison Trust, the Oscar Mayer Foundation, the Cremer Foundation, CUNA Mutual Insurance Group Foundation and the First Wisconsin National Bank.

It was Mayor Paul Soglin who first proposed the massive Capitol Centre project, which replaced two surface parking lots with 200 units of elderly housing, a senior center, a parking ramp and a supermarket. His successor, Mayor Joel Skornicka, continued seeking additional funding for senior center furnishings and equipment.

NOW, coming to the summer of 2018, we are commemorating the 35th year of operation of the Madison Senior Center.

Christine Beatty began her service as Madison Senior Center Director in March of 1988, so she celebrates this year as her 30th year at the Madison Senior Center. Before her hire with the City of Madison, she spent 10 years working with nonprofit senior service agencies; RSVP of Dane County and the East Madison/Monona Coalition of the Elderly.