Letter: Parents in the parking lot are making Senior Center visits hazardous

The following letter was addressed to Town Administrator Evan Brassard, Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings and the Select Board: 

We, the Senior Citizens of Grafton, request your assistance in avoiding injuries to those of us who attend activities and meetings at the Grafton Senior Center. We have requested help in the past but the measures employed were unsuccessful in avoiding a hazardous situation.

We have experienced many issues with parking at the Senior Center, some of which include the following:

• A Senior fell and parents would not allow us to get her car free
• Many of us arrived for an activity and a meeting on February 2 only to find no available parking spots. There was even a parent who parked in a disability spot. I remind you that many of us have physical disabilities and use assistive devices to walk.
• Parents race through the parking lot unaware of any senior who is coming out of the building.
• We even have a school bus parking in our lot and the son of an employee of the town parking in the lot.
• Staff at the Senior Center and COA have approached some of these parents, who have responded fiercely and would not move.

The Senior Center is run by a dedicated staff who have increased attendance and activities over the years. Our numbers have increased drastically. The center is a safe haven where seniors can socialize and live an active life.

We would like to ask AGAIN for the schools’ and the town’s help in solving this problem before it leads to injury and possibly loss of life.

Thank you for your consideration, We, the undersigned, would be willing to have representatives meet with one or all of you to discuss this matter further.

Grafton Senior Citizens