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McGovern Park Senior Center closure; seniors press for reopening
McGovern Park Senior Center has been closed since August due to flooding and widespread mold.
MILWAUKEE - Three months after historic flooding forced McGovern Park Senior Center to shut down, Milwaukee County leaders say they still don’t know when – or if – the building will reopen.
What we know:
The facility on the city’s northwest side remains closed while crews continue assessing damage and mold levels inside. County officials say they are doing everything they can, but many seniors say the response isn’t enough.
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, dozens of seniors gathered at Clinton Rose Senior Center – five miles away – to hear updates from county leaders. The county says McGovern Park was severely damaged in August when flooding led to high levels of mold throughout the building.
What they're saying:
"It's my second home, it's a home away from home," said Roxie Touchstone, who attends McGovern Park.
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"We love our center, we love our community," said attendee Minnie Harmon.
Aaron Hertzberg with Milwaukee County’s Department of Administrative Services said crews have been working since August to dry out the building, but mold remains extensive.
"We need to think first and foremost about their health and with the air quality condition at McGovern today, we cannot open that building," Hertzberg said.
McGovern Park closure; Milwaukee seniors push for answers
For more than two months, the McGovern Park Senior Center has sat empty, leaving Milwaukee’s north side seniors with nowhere to gather – and no answers on when they can return.
The county is now waiting for an engineering study to determine how water is getting in the building and how to prevent mold from returning. Officials note the center has a history of flooding, a problem they expect will continue without major upgrades.
"Ultimately, it's not just about the cleanup, it's about making sure we don't have this issue again," Hertzberg said.
As seniors wait, many say alternatives are offered across the area, but frustrated seniors say they should not have to keep traveling far and wide for them.
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"We deserve to be cared for," Harmon said. "We're seniors."
"We want our own senior center on the Northwest side," Touchstone said. "We want them to show us they care about seniors on the Northwest side."
County leaders say the next steps depend on the engineering report, which could take several weeks. They acknowledge there is a chance the cost of repairs may be too high.
If that happens, they say they will need to begin difficult conversations with County Board supervisors about the building’s future.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.