Park City Senior Center marks 50 years, looks ahead to new facility

Celebrating 50 Years of the Senior Center, Park City Photo: TownLift//Randi Sidman-Moore

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City Senior Center is marking five decades of serving local older adults as community leaders look ahead to the growing needs of an aging population in Park City

The center celebrated its 50th anniversary on Thursday, recognizing the generations of seniors who have gathered there for meals, activities, education, social connection, and support services.

“We owe a lot of gratitude to all the seniors who came before us and had the vision and worked to create this gathering place, and to all those who continue to volunteer their time and their money to create more opportunities for us,” said Craig Weakley, vice president of the board of the Park City Senior Center and longtime advocate for senior services in the area.

Today, the Senior Center serves more than 900 members, with programming that includes exercise classes, art classes, games, puzzles, meals, and social activities.

Weakley said the need for those services will continue to grow as the local population ages, describing the demographic shift as a “silver tsunami” in Summit County and Park City.

But as Park City’s population continues to age, leaders say the demand for senior services is only increasing.

Weakley said Park City, and Summit County generally, are experiencing what he called a “silver tsunami,” a significant growth in the number of older adults who will need additional resources and support.

The anniversary celebration highlighted plans that seeks to provide that additional support — a new Senior Center facility. The Park City Council approved moving forward with a new 15,000-square-foot building on July 9, which would be located across from the Park City Library at the Mawhinney parking lot.

The project is expected to go before the Planning Commission this fall, with hopes of beginning construction next year and opening the new facility in 2028.

Weakley emphasized that while the new building will provide additional space, the heart of the Senior Center has always been its members and the relationships built there.

“It’s not just about the building,” he said. “Most importantly, what the senior center is about is all of you. It’s all about the membership. It’s all about us collectively coming together, enjoying each other’s company, playing bridge, doing puzzles, doing exercise classes, art classes, and everything else that goes on here.”

Longtime community member Sydney Reed also shared memories of the center’s early days, recalling when she moved to Park City in 1974 and watched local leaders work to create a dedicated gathering place for seniors.

Reed said the center became an important resource for older residents, offering opportunities to make friends, participate in activities, share meals, and maintain a sense of community.

“If you knew how excited everybody was to have a place for seniors to gather, and how healthy that was for them, you would never move them to somebody’s basement,” Reed said, reflecting on past discussions about relocating senior programming.

She said the future facility represents the continuation of a legacy built by generations of community members.

“It’s really been a pleasure and touching to see how happy people are when they come here,” Reed said.

As the Senior Center celebrates 50 years, members say the milestone is not only a look back at the organization’s history but also a reminder of the growing importance of services that help older adults remain connected in Park City.

“Let’s do another 50,” Weakley said.