Johns Creek Senior Center Opens Thursday

Park Place at Newtown School, an active adult center for Johns Creek residents 62 and older, will make its grand debut Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

Located at Newtown Park, the , which was operational from 1929 to 1980 and is on the National Register of Historic Places, has been two years in the making.

Funds from a Community Development Block Grant were used to rehabilitate the old Newtown School as a place where senior citizens can participate in programs include cooking, active sports, fitness, physical health and computer and Internet education.

"We are looking forward to showing off this great facility to our residents" said City Manager John Kachmar in a press release. "We've worked hard to transform this historic building into a welcoming place that our folks can use for many years to come."

The center is nearly 5,000 square feet and houses two classrooms, a meeting hall, studios, kitchen and an office and includes computers with Internet access. 

The brick exterior of Park Place and the ceilings, as well as some of the six-panel doors, are original, but everything else on the inside is brand new. The Newtown Park Foundation put in the patio flooring, furniture and low walls around the patio, as well as the landscaping around the center.

"I think people are really going to use it," said Doug Nurse, the city's communication manager. "It will have the kind of programs that people will enjoy and use – computer programs, learning Facebook and social media, and exercise and cooking classes."

Thursday's grand opening event includes entertainment, a tour, speakers, medical screenings and classes including computers, art and exercise.

The center, at 3125 Old Alabama Road, will be open Mondays through Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., except for city holidays.