Hingham officials received a significant financial boost as the proposed Center for Active Living (HCAL) moved toward its final construction hurdle. During a final public information session on Monday, Town Administrator Tom Mayo announced that construction bids for the facility arrived at $25.8 million, a sharp decrease from the $29.9 million estimate previously printed in the Town Meeting warrant. Select Board Chair William Ramsey emphasized the importance of the lower figure for taxpayers, stating, I want to emphasize the cost reduction. We heard from residents about affordability. Even after the warrant article was recommended, we pushed the design team to get costs down.

The proposed 26,000-square-foot facility at Bear Cove Park Drive is intended to replace the current 5,000-square-foot senior center. Mayo detailed that the project has been right-sized from an initial 31,000-square-foot feasibility study through space efficiencies and community feedback. HCAL Director Jennifer Young explained that the modern center is essential to provide nutrition, wellness, and transportation services we cannot currently provide in our current space. The facility’s first-year operating costs are projected at $239,301, which includes one new full-time custodian and utilities, with fee revenue expected to offset other staffing needs.

Public questioning focused heavily on the project’s scale and the cumulative tax impact on residents. Judy Sneath expressed concern over the "piling on" of capital projects, noting her property taxes had already increased 25% over the last five years. I'd like to know that we're doing things now so that everybody at least in town knows that their taxes are going up another 26%, Sneath said. In response to concerns about the total burden, Jennifer Bertner warned the board that we are cracking out here under the pressure of these taxes... the ship's going to sink.

Residents also probed the facility’s design and accessibility. Diane Dapoli questioned whether the cost reductions compromised essential features for seniors with disabilities. Owner's Project Manager Dan Pallotta assured the public that nothing related to ADA, programming, or material quality was cut, noting that the savings were a result of favorable bidding conditions and a 7.5% construction contingency. When Grace Griffith suggested the town should have instead purchased the Hitchcock Shoes building for $6 million, Chair Ramsey clarified that the building was not available when the design process began and noted that Town Meeting had already authorized the Bear Cove Park site.

The debate touched on the "multigenerational" nature of the center as well. Jessica Necchi and Marcus Necchi asked for clarification on youth access to the building during business hours. Young explained that the priority is the 60+ population and creating an enabling environment where seniors aren't at risk of falls from unsupervised children. However, Select Board member Liz Klein noted that the board maintains the authority to set policies for evening use by other community groups, such as the Girl Scouts or local sports boards, adding that while seniors are the daytime priority, the facility can serve wider needs.

Regarding the upcoming ballot and Town Meeting, Town Counsel John Coughlin clarified the statutory language of the debt exclusion question, explaining that a "yes" vote supports both the project and the necessary tax increase to fund it. Beth Rufo of the Building Committee defended the project’s scope against suggestions from resident Laura Burns that the building was oversized compared to national participation averages. Rufo and Young pointed to high utilization rates in neighboring Scituate as a more accurate benchmark for Hingham’s active senior population. Select Board member Julie Staley participated in the session as the board prepares to present the final numbers to voters on April 27.