Santa Clara ends membership fees at senior center

After years of advocacy from older adults, Santa Clara is eliminating membership fees for residents at its Senior Center, a change intended to make the facility more accessible — although questions remain about limited pool hours and staffing shortages. The City Council on Oct. 20 unanimously approved ending membership fees, which previously cost $12 for a basic membership and $37 for a premium membership. The city estimates the change will reduce annual revenue by about $91,000. The city also plans to spend about $453,480 on immediate senior center repairs and expand pool hours in January. Wanda Buck, 87, has advocated for eliminating senior center membership fees since 2022, when she served on the city’s Senior Advisory Commission. She raised the issue with councilmembers and the mayor and spoke at council meetings. After her time on the commission, she continued advocating for the change alongside other former commissioners through the Santa Clara Women’s League. Buck said removing