Osan City (Provisional Name) Municipal Central Senior Center Breaks Ground...Aims for October Completion

[Suwon Ilbo=Park Chan-hyeok] Osan City held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of its (provisional name) Municipal Central Senior Center on the 26th and began full-scale construction.

The ceremony was attended by Osan City Mayor Lee Gwon-jae, Vice Chairman of O&T; B Holdings Co., Ltd., and approximately 80 senior residents from the region, proceeding with remarks, project progress reports from the construction company, the exchange of memoranda of understanding (MOUs), and a soil-turning ceremony.

The senior center construction project initiated today is being pursued as a public-private partnership model funded by private donations, earning recognition as a model case of elderly welfare innovation that goes beyond simple facility support to ensure public interest and sustainability.

The newly developed Municipal Central Senior Center will be built on the site where the former Usin Senior Center was demolished. Rather than simply being a leisure space where seniors gather, it is planned to transform into a comprehensive welfare space where cultural activities, health promotion, and intergenerational communication take place.

In particular, the center will apply universal design principles to ensure that seniors with mobility difficulties can use the facility safely. Additionally, by adopting a smart environment, it will operate as a space providing customized programs and welfare services tailored to seniors.

The city aims for completion in October, with an official opening scheduled for November.

Osan City Mayor Lee Gwon-jae emphasized, "The city views elderly welfare from a perspective of respect and partnership rather than charity," adding, "We will concentrate all administrative resources so that senior centers become not just spaces for seniors, but the center of community where generations and neighbors come together harmoniously."