Post Falls Senior Center to reopen today

POST FALLS - The Post Falls Senior Center is back in business.

The facility - shut down for more than a week due to a natural gas leak in the furnace system - will reopen today at 8 a.m.

Alison McArthur, executive director, said meals and scheduled events at the center will resume as planned. Bingo, however, will resume next Wednesday.

"We're happy to get the center back open and the contractor has worked hard to get us back up as soon as possible," said McArthur, adding that the reopening is happening nearly as soon as what was hoped for.

McArthur said the intent was to reopen the center as soon as possible so it wouldn't lose rental income from groups that have the facility reserved.

McArthur said the estimated cost to replace four furnaces and two air conditioners, along with electrical, venting and other repairs, is $25,682. Advanced Heating won the bid. Nine bids were received.

About $4,000 for the project was raised in the first week.

"We'd like to have the rest raised in the next two to three weeks," McArthur said.

Fundraisers are being planned and could be finalized today.

Tax-deductible donations can be dropped off at the senior center campus on Third Avenue Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or mailed to P.O. Box 418, Post Falls, 83877.

McArthur said there isn't reserve funding to apply toward the furnaces as the center essentially operates from day to day.

Furnace upgrades were not part of the remodel of the center about a year ago. About $62,000 is still owed on that project.