HAMBURG, NY — The Hamburg community center lease is up for the Town and Frontier Central School District, and many call for the continuation of services at the building.
"If there is not this space, I do not know where we would go, there is nothing in place for us to make this transition, we would just be lost," said Marsha Lennon, who visits the center everyday to have lunch with her friends and participate in the many classes offered.
The center offers more than 300 frozen meals and 40 to 50 meals served in the 50's themed diner.
Another side to the center is the Adult Day Use side which allows people with memory issues to be cared for.
"Without this building, it would place many of our programs in jeopardy of not having a permanent home," said Randy Hoak, Town of Hamburg Supervisor.
Hoak says the Frontier School District and the Town signed a 19-year lease for the building and at the end of lease the Town of Hamburg could buy it for one dollar.
However the school district wants to now use the building for a Big Picture program , or for their Administrative offices.
The district and the school have been meeting for ten months to negotiate but now the decision is up to the State Education Commissioner.
"This is not a situation that if the lease ends that we would ask the town to leave the building, thats not how we operate here," said Christopher Swiatek, Superintendent of Frontier Central School District.
Superintendent Swiatek says for now it is up to the Commissioner of Education to decide the future use of this building.
"Is there a possibility for shared use in the short term? I really do believe there is but until the commissioner makes a decision everything else is hypothetical and conjecture," said Swiatek.
For the people who call the senior center their second home, they remain concerned.
"It is our family here, our extended family and yeah we really need this place," said Marsha Lennon.
