Kalamazoo Times

Portage municipal and commerce leaders recently joined Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) for a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Charles and Lynn Zhang Portage Community Senior Center.

“This new senior community center is a testament to what happens when businesses and government work together and put the needs of Michiganders first. I’m working hard to make Michigan the first ‘age-friendly state’ in the Midwest and this center is a step in the right direction,” said Whitmer in a news release from the governor’s office. “We must do more to help older Michiganders access affordable healthcare, retire with dignity, and have attainable, affordable housing. That’s why I proposed repealing the burdensome retirement tax, saving half a million households $1,000 a year.”

The Portage Community Senior Center will offer a sleuth of activities for city’s senior citizens to bond with their peers, along with amenities to help boost their morale so that they develop a sense of camaraderie and independence with their peers, according to the governor’s office.

The release reported that the 32,000 square-foot center was constructed using $5.7 million in funds contributed by the community, along with $5.5 million from the city.

“The Portage Community Senior Center is a living example that growing up doesn’t mean growing old. This center will engage the community, empower our seniors, and enrich lives. We’ll keep building on investments to ensure projects like this one happen all across our state,” Whitmer wrote on Facebook.