Clearly the biggest single trend in population across the United States is that we are living longer, and this is no different in Lewisville. Even though Lewisville’s median age is young, around 31 years, we still must recognize that number is climbing upwards. So far, Lewisville has done a noteworthy job of addressing that trend.
In 1996, our City opened our Seniors Center at Memorial Park. With the Seniors Center, our Parks and Recreation Dept. has organized numerous activities and classroom opportunities geared towards seniors. With city funding, Lewisville helps sponsor over a dozen different classes each month ranging from art to fitness to foreign languages.
Other Center offerings include monthly luncheons, exercise and computer classes, the Red Hat group, pickle ball tournaments, group games like bingo, bunko, and bridge, and local and out-of-town trip (e.g., to Arlington, Ft. Worth Stockyards, Big Bend, Grand Canyon, etc.). From 9am to7 pm throughout the week, there is something every hour, and our Seniors Connection publication provides a detailed calendar each month.
Lewisville has integrated local public transit to accommodate those, including seniors, who no longer able to drive or do not own cars by offering the DCTA express busses. Perhaps more significantly, Lewisville provides considerable sponsorship to numerous programs that include seniors though its own funds and also federal CDBG allocations from HUD. Those sponsored programs include Day Staff for Adults, CCA Adult Health Center, Meals on Wheels (SPAN), and Salvation Army.
With an aging parent of my own, I am very sensitive to the needs of our seniors, and fully support and will continue to support all of these programs for their benefit. Although my attendance was not required, I was the only Councilman to recently attend our City’s all-day Annual Block Grant interviews so that I could see first-hand what the needs are and how we can best address them.
In general, we are on the right track, and outperforming other neighboring cities in our commitment and approach. I intend to see we maintain that course, and continue to seek new ways to support this fast-growing segment of our population. Only one candidate acknowledges the unique needs of our aging population, and is committed to seeing our City adapts to their future requirements.
I am that one candidate.
