Bigfork Senior Center on track for upgraded facility

The Bigfork Senior Center is relocating with the goal of being able to offer more programming and accessibility to patrons.

Site manager Rocky Feckete said the center plans to move to a building off Montana 35, across the street from the Bethany Lutheran Church. The sale of the building is not yet final, but Feckete said the new space would offer Senior Center patrons a space that has more room for activities such as line dancing.

“The new space could be really good for us, because if we wanted to do yoga, or line dancing or something [at the current center] there’s these big support beams in the way; there’s not enough room to do it here,” Feckete said.

Feckete said the Senior Center has been slated to relocate for about four years. She said the current building on Commerce Street, across from Bigfork Schools, is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Flathead County Grant Administrator Whitney Aschenwald said the county was given a grant about four years ago to make improvements at senior centers around the valley. She said the improvements required at the Bigfork Senior Center exceeded what they could do with the grant funds, so they have been looking at other options ever since. Feckete said they have looked at other properties in Bigfork, but nothing seemed to pan out.

“It was either, go to the Crossroads; that was too far out of town. We looked at going up the hill here in the community, where the big park is that the county owns, the neighbors didn’t want it. So piece by piece, we always had to stay here,” Feckete said.

Feckete said when the purchase of the new facility is finalized, the current building will go up for auction. She said the current building was a residential home that was converted into a community center and doesn’t offer as much space as a community center typically needs. It had been previously valued at $375,000. The county is scheduled to close on the new property by the end of the month.

THE NEW building sits behind an office and does have more space for activities, as well as storage, and preparation for Meals on Wheels. There’s one large room that Feckete said would be used as a gathering place and kitchen, as well as a smaller room to the right, and a room toward the lefthand side of the building that will be used as an office space. The building only has one bathroom, which Feckete said will have to be expanded to meet ADA requirements. She said the space offers a lot of opportunities.

“I think the wide open space gives us an opportunity to bring more people in,” Feckete said. “It’s a little off the highway, but I think once people figure out where it is, it will be a much better fit.”

When it does come time to move, Feckete said she’s not particularly looking forward to the moving process. She said the center will be accepting volunteers to help move furniture when a moving date is established.

For now, Feckete said the Senior Center is busy filling and delivering all of the meals they dole out for their Meals on Wheels program. The program delivers meals to those unable to leave their home and is one of the most critical services the Senior Center offers.

“It’s a wonderful benefit for people who for one reason or another can’t get out or don’t get out,” Feckete said. “Almost all of the people we see are single, living alone... sometimes our drivers will be the first person to find someone who has fallen and needs help.”

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began last year, the center has seen a huge increase in people signing up for the program. She said the center is in great need of drivers.

“If you have an hour to spare on Monday, Wednesday or Friday and would like to learn one of our routes, that would be great,” Feckete said.

Anyone interested in becoming a driver for Meals on Wheels in Bigfork can contact Feckete at the Senior Center by calling 406-837-4157.