After more than a month of renovations, the Royal Oak Senior Center reopened earlier this month with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the rejuvenated facility.

With $500,000 invested in improvements both inside and outside, including some infrastructure repairs, Director Yolanda Botello-McClain has seen an influx of residents and non-residents fill the building.

“We have all new flooring throughout the entire Senior Center, except for the three tiled floors. We have new paint, a state-of-the-art coffee bar, and all-new bathrooms, which are now ADA compliant,” she said after the facility re-opened Friday, Oct. 3. “We now have all new LED lighting throughout the entire senior center and all new ceiling tiles, along with a new reception area.”

Paid for by a grant from Oakland County and matching ARPA funds from the city, the half-million-dollar project didn’t cost Royal Oak taxpayers a dime. The updates include a new generator – key in keeping the kitchen up and running and keeping food safe during power outages. The center had undergone some previous updates, including the workout area, back in February 2025.

“I applied for a grant through Oakland County for senior centers, and we received it. Then, the city matched that amount with ARPA dollars, which paid for all of these things,” Botello-McClain said. “Also, last year, we upgraded our commercial kitchen with all new appliances. The grant also covered new laptops.”

She noted the center is “so much brighter and it just gives it a totally different look without the dark carpeting and the lighting was very dim in here. It’s definitely a breath of fresh air when you walk in now.”

The Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, evening activities and classes often extend the center’s hours until 8 or 9 p.m., depending on the schedule.

“We have everything from card groups, massage therapy, art classes, fitness classes, dancing classes, French classes and we have congregate meals every day with lunch at 11:40 a.m. for only $5. You can choose dine-in or carry-out,” she said.

The center features two billiard tables and offers support groups for grief, aphasia, Alzheimer’s, caregivers, and various veteran support groups. With the renovation finished, residents and non-residents are filling the center and getting back into their routines.

“While we were out, we were actually stationed at the library. And we did hold some of our classes in the Farmer’s market. Some of our support groups were held at a builder’s club and the Presbyterian Church,” Botello-McClain said. “And then there were some of our groups that chose to go to either Clawson or Madison Heights for a space there. But they’ve all returned.”

Outside the Senior Center, landscaping was added and the drainage system was fixed as it had caused damage to some of the walls.

“They discovered that some of the downspouts where the water wasn’t going out into the drain system, so water was sitting and we had to have some of our walls fixed,” Botello-McClain explained. “They remedied all of that on both sides of the building.”

Touchscreen computers have been installed for residents to find their classes and groups and the technology helps the staff keep up with how many are using the facility.

“We can now handle our transportation scheduling with the new software. It really fits our senior center well. They were previously using recreation software, which required many workarounds,” Botello-McClain said. “We’re working smarter, not harder. It benefits the seniors because we can see which classes have high enrollment and which have low, helping us better utilize our space. We also have new technology throughout the senior center. Every room has TV monitors, allowing instructors and leaders to bring in their PowerPoints or for rentals to play videos during celebrations. At the main entrance, there’s a 75-inch monitor that shows our daily schedule and upcoming programs.”

Renovated and rejuvenated for the use of Royal Oak residents and non-residents (who can participate for a small fee), the Leo Mahany/Harold Meininger Senior Community Center is now open for business at 3500 Marais Ave., just off 13 Mile Road near Royal Oak High School.