AMHERST — Amber KaCey, a participant in Senior Center programs for almost 20 years, is pleased with the town’s plans for undertaking $2.8 million in upgrades to the Bangs Community Center building, beginning this summer.

“I love it there — I have enjoyed all the travels and all the classes and everything we’re able to do there,” KaCey told the Town Council this week.

“It’s such an important edifice for the town of Amherst,” KaCey said. “I think every consideration should go toward renovating it and making it what it should be for our joy.”

At the Town Council meeting Monday, several senior citizens held signs endorsing the work that, with a unanimous affirmative vote by the Town Council, will include installing a sprinkler system, replacing an antiquated fire alarm system and upgrading deficiencies in accessibility.

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said the plan is to go out to bid this spring, with a general contractor to be hired and construction to begin.

“As town representatives, it’s important you serve as good stewards of our town facilities,” said Jeanne Horrigan, who chairs the Council on Aging, observing that Bangs Center users include senior citizens, veterans, Meals on Wheels participants and numerous others. “The Bangs Center is an old building which hasn’t been updated in decades.”

Robert Pereint, special capital projects coordinator for the town, said the Bangs is a heavily used building, and with a $2.8 million reinvestment can serve the community better. “It is a solid building — it does lack a couple of items that it should have going forward,” Pereint said.

The project will mostly cover the basics, with some improvements to layouts, and add “alternates,” such as potential for new nurse’s office, a new restroom adjoining the multipurpose room, and expanding the senior center into the Health Department offices, likely to be done in the future. A total renovation of the kitchen is unlikely in the near term.

“We felt it was important to start with the basics of the building first and get those out of the way,” Pereint said.

District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen said renovation of interior systems will give the building  years of life, and while it won’t yield additional space for seniors immediately, that could be the case in the future. The project will also put the town in a position to eliminate fossil fuel use at the building.

District 5 Councilor Bob Hegner said officials acknowledge that the $2.8 million won’t get the building all the way to where it needs to be.

“This is a building that is vital to the town, it is used by a lot of different people, it serves a lot of different people, it is in good shape, but needs some upgrades,” Hegner said. 

Some of the senior citizens who spoke acknowledged that they aren’t getting everything they have sought for the building’s Senior Center space, but Tricia Montgomery said she hopes the work continues beyond this fiscal year and that upgrades happen until they are complete. “The community needs these upgrades to this building,” Montgomery said.

Ivette Palacin said the building needs to be maintained for all seniors. “I feel that I belong there and am grateful you heed and pay attention to maintaining the Bangs’ place in our town,” Palacin said.

Melanie Rose said she would like to see the Bangs be open for more classes and events. “The building itself just seems it like such a focal point for the town of Amherst,” Rose said.

Ted Mone said accessibility is important. “It is a tired building,” Mone said.

Future work will be sought through the Joint Capital Planning Committee process, Bockelman said, though acknowledged that a commercial grade kitchen is outside the scope of future budgets.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.