CALVERT, Texas (KRHD) — The Calvert Senior Center, where elderly neighbors gather and connect, is temporarily closed due to fire damage.
- The fire occurred on December 18th.
- The seniors have temporarily relocated to the Calvert Community Center.
- Construction crews have gutted the building, removed all hazardous material, wiped down all surfaces, cleaned the upholstery, removed the things that needed to be removed, and prepared the facility for the upcoming repairs.
- The city manager hopes the senior center will reopen by the end of April.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
15ABC asked Dora Shivers how she felt after discovering the senior center had fire damage.
"Heartbroken. We all felt heartbroken because that's our place, and we enjoy it."
The Calvert Senior Center is undergoing repairs due to a kitchen fire that broke out last year.
"As we come over here, we get closer to the fire, the fire's origin, and we start seeing some of their work, and we start seeing some of the things that we need to repair in the interim," City Manager Sergio Loya said.
That means some of our elderly neighbors had to relocate until the work was complete.
"We've accommodated them at our community center, and they've made the best of it," Loya said.
"They're eager to get back here, and we're eager to put them in here."
Dora Shivers told 15ABC that she's still getting used to it.
"You know how it's like home when you're used to something. If you're used to your home and if it burns or something, you have to go somewhere else, that's different."
But Robbie Muckelroy told15ABC she doesn't care where she is, as long as she's with her friends.
"I would love to be back at the center, but here is fine, too."
"I just love coming, being here with everybody. Love everybody. We are all good friends. We are all family. One big family," she said.
Even though it's inconvenient, the city manager sees this setback as an opportunity to rebuild the senior center better than before.
"A little bit bigger, a little bit better, a little bit more efficient, a little bit stronger for our community to make sure it's here for a while," Loya said.
