The Los Angeles City Council approved Friday a motion to request the Department of Recreation and Parks to report on the operational status of the Westchester Senior Center, including an overview of its operational capacity and resources to expand its use for the senior community.
According to the motion, presented by councilmembers Traci Park and John Lee, during the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, senior centers were closed as a safety precaution for the senior population. Since then, most senior centers have reopened but are not fully operational.
The Westchester Senior Center, located at 8740 Lincoln Blvd., is operating at 80% capacity, but for it to be at 100% capacity, safety concerns need to be addressed, according to the motion.
In October 2022, the Department of Recreation and Parks temporarily closed the doors of the Westchester Senior Center citing those same safety concerns.
The closure resulted in the need to temporarily move the lunch program to the recreation center and postponement of activities at the senior center.
Some of the safety concerns cited include the presence of several RVs that have taken most of the parking lot outside the senior center, including parking spots dedicated to people with disabilities or mobility issues.
Prior to the pandemic, the Westchester Senior Center was used by many seniors in the community, who depend on the Westchester Senior Center for their daily activities such as meals, socializing and enrichment programs, according to the motion.