GREEN COVE SPRINGS— The Board of County Commissioners approved a grant set to improve safety at the Orange Park Senior Center at Tuesday night’s meeting.
In an agreement between the county and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the grant, totaling $500,000, is a part of the Fixed Capital Outlay (FC0) Program Grant Agreement.
The contract, which will end in June 2027, includes safety improvements made to the center’s parking lot, walkway, driveway, and drainage/retention.
The center, located at 414 Stowe Ave., was not a stranger to complaints regarding increased concerns of safety. An “uneven, root-strewn ground” and “lack of handicap parking spaces” were of worry to some who frequent the building.
Orange Park Senior Center Supervisor Cara Hamill said staff members and seniors will be happy with the improvements. She said the next step is obtaining more patrolling on nights and weekends.
As a result of the grant, the county also approved a budget resolution for fiscal year 2025/2026, now totaling $170,509,916.
In other news:
The board recognized Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service with a proclamation. The day is celebrated annually on Jan. 19, encouraging citizens to commemorate the legacy of King, while also working to strengthen their communities.
The City of Green Cove Springs will be celebrating its Martin Luther King Jr. Day Weekend beginning on Jan. 17 with a drive-thru food pantry from 10 a.m. to noon at Vera Francis Hall Park, 1503 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. On Jan. 19, the city will also have Clay High graduate Thomas Huggins III as a keynote speaker.
Additionally, the county recognized Registered Nurse Anesthetists Week, celebrating advance practice registered nurses who have provided anesthesia care in the U.S. for more than 150 years.