Thriving in an Age-Friendly Community
“I wanted to retire where there is top-notch, accessible medical care for my wife, within a community that offers plenty of activity fitting my lifestyle.”
I’m paraphrasing, but that was the response I received when I asked a new resident why he chose to move to Grove City in his retirement years. The retired U.S. Marine shared with me the vast travel and living experiences — in the U.S. and abroad — he and his wife accumulated over the years; then explained how, after extensive consideration, he concluded this was the best place for them as a final stop.
Where to call home upon retirement and beyond is a uniquely personal decision often influenced by the location of family and longtime friends. Beyond the factors we cannot control, Grove City strives to provide senior residents with unmatched amenities, making it simpler to enjoy the later years.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that the median age of the nation as a whole continues to grow older as Baby Boomers pass age 65. Grove City’s median age is currently estimated at 39 years, approximately two years older than the nation’s median. This is one of the reasons we openly welcome new, high-quality assisted living communities like Danbury Senior Living, Homestead Senior Living, The Ashford of Grove City, and recently opened StoryPoint of Grove City, Brookdale Pinnacle and Meadow Grove Transitional Care Center.
Because staying active in retirement is important to both health and happiness, our aging residents deserve so much more than shuffleboard and senior discounts. This vibrant phase of life is the perfect time to discover new restaurants, hone in on hidden talents, enjoy hiking or biking, and find more ways to get involved in the community. All of this is available in Grove City!
We don’t stop there. When health and mobility become a challenge, Grove City steps up with resources designed to ease those concerns. Having recently welcomed two new hospitals and several medical office buildings, high-quality health care is close to home and easily accessed.
The LifeCare Alliance Meals-on-Wheels program is faithfully supported in our community, providing delivered meals to those who cannot access it on their own. Additionally, the Evans Center continues to increase social, health-centered programs and scheduled rides for seniors, making it easier to tackle tasks outside the home.
I enjoy meeting new residents, young and old. Hearing their stories and learning what led them to Grove City confirms a truth I’ve known — our beloved hometown is attracting the attention of many and making life simpler and more accessible for our senior population.
Mayor Richard L. “Ike” Stage
Discovering Our Past
A History of Community Service
Though it is not the structure’s original location, the building at 3397 Civic Place has remained soundly on its lot for more than 90 years and its history mirrors some of the oldest civic organizations in Grove City.
The Grove City Women’s Civic Club was organized in 1916 and participants regularly hosted meetings in their homes until 1928 when the Club’s membership and charitable activities grew too large for any home. Consideration was then given to constructing a clubhouse to accommodate the larger group for meetings and events.
Just two days after the Club resolved its need for owned space, a portable building once used by the high school, then located on Park Street, became available. As the highest bidder at the auction, the Women’s Civic Club purchased the building in May 1928 for $1,175. Amid a whirlwind of activity in the months that followed, the Club secured the land it stands on today for $775. The building was moved one-third of a mile to its current location.
Established around the same time as the Women’s Civic Club, the Girls’ Community Club also struggled for space. With a common objective to promote the spirit of cooperation and goodwill while raising the standard of civic life in Grove City, the two clubs often bonded together to meet the needs of the community.
The same was true for space when in 1956 the Girls’ Community Club purchased half of the building. The accommodations then became known as the Civic Club House and the two clubs worked together, raising funds to increase the size of the building.
The groups shared the building until sometime in the 1990s when the Women’s Civic Club moved its gatherings to the Jackson Township Administration Building on Hoover Road. To this day, the Girls’ Community Club — now known as the Grove City Community Club — continues to operate out of the Civic Place building.
As two of the oldest philanthropic civic organizations in the Grove City area, the clubs have spent the past 100-plus years making significant contributions to our community, including starting our first library and supporting numerous charitable organizations. For more information on these civic organizations, visit online at womenscivicclubofgc.weebly.com or grovecitycommunityclub.org.
Council Briefs
Share a Day with You "Best Friend"
Break loose from the dog days of summer and bring your “best friend” to Breck Community Park for a dog-friendly, social environment with two fenced, off-leash play areas for large and small dogs — a community center for your dog! Serving as a picturesque location for your dog to exercise and socialize with others, the park also includes multi-use paths, a public art installation, an attractive pond, benches, a shelter, water fountains for dogs (humans, too) and restrooms for leash-holders outside the play areas.
Breck Community Park is home to the Council Member Ted Berry Annual 5K Dog Rescue Walk/Run, the largest FREE 5K dog walk/run in Ohio. Plan to attend the special fundraising event at 11 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 6. Register in person at 10:30 a.m. the day of the event or online at bit.ly/gc5K-9.
Donations benefit various dog rescue organizations. Last year’s event attracted 368 walkers/runners, 157 dogs and accumulated donations of items and funds totaling an estimated $11,781, including more than 3,400 pounds of dog food.
Registration remains free. And donations of unopened dog food, new pet toys/beds/blankets and gift cards from pet stores or gas stations are appreciated.
Ted Berry
Council Member, Ward 1
Development
The Growing Demand for Age-Targeted Housing
Since the year 2000, the number of Grove City residents between the ages of 55 and 64 has more than doubled; growing at a far higher rate than any other age group. An aging population has many implications for city policy, including the type of housing available, transportation access, safety, healthcare facilities and recreational needs.
Regardless of life circumstances, low-maintenance living is increasing in popularity. Daily maintenance, including yardwork or cleaning unused living space, can cut into time that could be spent relaxing, enjoying family, traveling or pursuing hobbies.
Recent development in Grove City has responded to the changing market demand and multiple new projects are aimed at offering the aging population a low-maintenance lifestyle in a variety of forms. Currently under construction or recently approved are almost 1,000 housing units ranging from age-targeted, single-story condominiums and apartments to assisted living facilities.
These units are located in a variety of settings, giving aging residents many options. Existing single-family subdivisions such as Holton Run, Meadow Grove Estates and the proposed Trail View Run have been approved for new single-story attached and detached condos.
In addition to single-family living, the new Beulah Park development will offer more than 60 acres of open space with connectivity to the historic Town Center and a variety of options for seniors. Included in the plan are an assisted living and memory care facility, single-story attached and detached condos, private courtyard areas, and a community center. Next to Beulah Park is the Ashford of Grove City, offering assisted living and memory care options with amenities for residents.
Although market demands are changing and new styles of housing are emerging, it is the responsibility of the City to ensure these new development patterns meet demand while preserving the character of our community. Through careful planning and intentional land-use decisions, it is the goal of the City to offer a variety of housing options to allow residents to remain lifelong community members, regardless of their stage in life.
