through the town up until you get to the river and go into the village, a corridor, of sorts,” she details. COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVES TAKING SHAPE Van Der Water highlights that the Town Board is very focused on planning for, not just the next five years of growth and town direction, but also the direction over the next 20 years. Currently, Van Buren is utilizing the funds available through the Community Development Grant, concentrating its efforts on addressing pressing needs for the community’s senior center and ensuring the infrastructure is sound for increased residential housing. “This grant typically taps out at $50, 000 and is specific to either low-income housing areas or senior initiatives,” Van Der Water details. “As part of our Community Development Grant, we are focusing our attention on our senior community center that serves our area for Lysander and Van Buren and the Village of Baldwinsville, and it also serves surrounding areas.” “The center is open to the public and it has been here for a long time and we are very proud of it,” she elaborates. “A lot of seniors gather there because they offer many programs. It offers exercise classes, yoga classes, bingo every week, fish fry Fridays, and an antique car show every year.The center hosts several fundraisers such as wreaths for sale at Christmas time.” Van Der Water points out that the center holds special significance and remains high on the Town Board’s priority list because,“it keeps connected with the community, both on the [general] community level and on the senior community level as well.” The town has used the funds in the Community Development Grant to attend to the center’s infrastructure including, updating the windows, flooring, and addressing insulation in an attempt to ensure that it is energy efficient and sustainable long term. 4 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 07
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