Senior center plans hiatus

Financial concerns have prompted the Costa Mesa Senior Center’s management to close for five days to figure out how to save money as donations have slimmed during the recession.

The center will close June 1 through 5, but buses will still take seniors to their doctors appointments and shopping and will send out lunches to those who are stuck at home, according to Executive Director Aviva Goelman.

“We’re looking at all of our programs and our budget and seeing where we’re going. Basically, we’re restructuring,” Goelman said.

The closure comes during a natural lull in services, when no classes are typically offered, she said. The center is trying to move programs that would be canceled — bingo, bridge and the like — to the nearby Neighborhood Community Center.

Center staff is meeting with city officials Friday to discuss possibilities.

A handful of seniors spoke out against the closure at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, saying that it was unnecessary and would leave seniors no place to go.

“Now they’re going to be locked out for a whole week for what I don’t think is a good reason,” Councilwoman Wendy Leece said, adding that the staff should be able to complete the meeting in a few hours.

Program Director Darryl Kim contested that notion Wednesday, saying that there are more than 100 programs offered at the center that need to be discussed.

Reporter ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.