By SUE ELLEN ROSS – Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – In spite of continual objections from some parish residents, the St. John Parish Council unanimously approved the construction of a senior citizen community center to be located in the Regala Park area in Reserve.

But, not before 50 minutes of discussion from both sides during the Feb. 10 council meeting.

Voting on the location of the new building was carried over from last month’s agenda.

At the Jan. 27 meeting, many senior citizens attended and voiced their concerns about not being involved in the planning process. They also opposed the location that the Site Selection Committee presented to the board.

Some residents felt the center should be built on Highway 51 in LaPlace.

Serving on the selection committee was Wilhemia Armour, who originally presented the recommendation to the board. She told the council at the Jan. 27 meeting that she and fellow committee members had spent many hours of research, physically looking at locations and discussing the particulars. The Regala Park site was considered the best choice.

The protestors again approached the council at their Feb.10 meeting, right before the vote was to be taken. The same concerns were aired.

One elderly resident just wanted the whole situation to be over and done with.

“At my age, this could wear me out,” said 80-year-old Reserve resident Emile Hotard. “Win, lose, or draw – let’s take a vote.”

Councilman Lester Rainey told the board that he would support the recommendation, but that he was concerned with ‘the entire process.’ He cited the information gathered by the committee and their slant toward the Regala Park location.

Councilman Cleveland Farlough represents Reserve on the council. “We have to take a look at the complete Parish,” he told the audience. “Reserve can’t grow if we don’t build anything there.”

The Site Selection Committee held fast in their proposal and asked the board to vote for final approval, so the project could begin.

Parish President Nickie Monica agreed with the committee.

“The bond issue (for this project) passed two years ago,” he said. “I’m ready to start this.”

It will take about $900,000 to construct the new building, administrators said.

Approximately 65 seniors use the current center, which is in LaPlace and has structural problems. It will be closed when the new building is completed.

A date for the groundbreaking of the senior center project has not been determined, but everything is in place to begin soon.