April 14, 2026 By Carol Britton Meyer
The proposed new Center for Active Living is “tailored to Hingham seniors’ interests and needs,” according to Director Jennifer Young.
During a public information session Monday night for residents to learn more about the proposed new CAL off Bare Cove Drive before the April 27 Town Meeting – at which time voters will be asked to approve $25.8 million to construct the facility – a number of residents asked questions and made comments. More than 50 people participated at one point or another during the meeting, including in-person and on Zoom.
Select Board Chair William Ramsey recently announced the lower $25.8 million figure, noting that it represents a reduction from an estimated cost a year ago of $34 million and the proposed town meeting warrant article of $29.9 million, which is an overall reduction of approximately 25% due to value engineering — working with the owner’s project manager and the design team.
Town Administrator Tom Mayo made a presentation at the beginning of the meeting about the history of the project, the historical context and identified needs, a planning timeline from 2013 to the present, the design process, CAL peer comparisons, planned programming, and essential services provided by the Center.
Mayo also talked about the goals of a new CAL, the proposed building and site development, the 2023 select board site evaluations – including town hall, the current location, the selectmen’s parcel on Beal Street, the Union Street driving range, and the armory on Central Street – and gave a rundown of construction and operating costs, the total project cost, and proposed funding. The permitting of the current location is complete.
Questions related in part to how many Hingham seniors are expected to use the Center and how many from out of town might be expected to participate in its programs and activities. The numbers are uncertain at this time.
Whether the building would be available to non-profits and for intergenerational activities was also a topic of discussion.
The CAL’s policy is “to provide intergenerational programming as space and time allows,” according to Young. “One of the challenges is bringing in new programs when we only have four tiny spaces. We have had to cancel some longstanding programs people have come to rely on.” The current center hosts some intergenerational activities.
Integenerational opportunities
“We stand behind intergenerational opportunities – nights and weekends and hours outside of those the CAL is open – to be determined by the select board,” Young said. “I’d expect more opportunities for intergenerational and other programming with this new space.”
CAL building committee member Beth Rouleau said the goal is to create “an enabling, comfortable environment – safe for older residents,” where those 18 and older can participate in programs as space allows. Those under age 18 must be under the supervision of a teacher, parent, or other adult.
In response to questions from the audience, it was learned that the cafe, the building itself, and the restrooms will be open to the community. The facility would be under the control of the select board. “This will be a public building,” Select Board Chair William Ramsey said.
Judy Sneath asked about staffing for the new building, contingent on the proposal passing at Town Meeting and the ballot box.
Mayo said that the town will cover the cost of one $87,000 custodian salary including benefits as part of the operational budget, with positions added at a future time funded by user fees.
He also noted a total CAL operational costs increase of $239,301 over current costs – including the custodian salary and $152,010 for utilities, supplies, and insurance. This amount will be paid through the town operating budget.
‘You can’t isolate the impact of just one project’
Sneath also noted that her taxes have gone up by 25 percent over the last five years, in addition to a potential 26 percent total increase in the next five years for the average homeowner to cover debt exclusions for the CAL, school projects, and a potential future override according to a recent presentation by the advisory committee – who voted 9 to 5 in favor of the CAL proposal. “You can’t isolate the impact of just one project,” she said, noting that the online tax estimator only relates to the proposed new CAL.
Laura Marwill asked Young how many of the town’s 7,900 seniors she thinks will use the new CAL. Young responded that she’s certain that at least 39 percent will participate in programs there based on statistics.
Monica Matthews asked how many of the town’s seniors live at Linden Ponds, which offers a variety of programs onsite. The answer was roughly 1,400, with about 80 Linden Ponds residents using the current CAL.
“We don’t expect all the Linden Ponds residents to participate, but a lot of longtime residents living there are looking forward to the experience of [also] meeting people who don’t live at Linden Ponds,” Rouleau said.
Additional comments from the audience
Other comments from the audience related to the number of parking spots, why isn’t the Hitchcock Shoe building on Beal Street – which is for sale – being considered, how many offices the new building will have, and future uses for the current senior center space at Town Hall if the proposal passes by a 2/3 vote at the April 27 (and possibly April 28) Town Meeting and a subsequent majority vote at the ballot box.
Future uses could include an expansion of the South Shore Regional Emergency Communications Center (SSRECC) currently headquartered there and a school use. An outside organization has also expressed an interest in renting some of the space – which would generate revenue for the town, Ramsey said.
Jennifer Burtner said it hasn’t been easy to remain in Hingham for the three generations of her family. “We are [struggling] under the pressure of taxes and higher fees. If you want this community to hold together, you can’t be piling on project after project, or this ship is going to go down.”
Burtner continued, “As Sebastian Junger wrote in ‘The Perfect Storm,’ disasters at sea are rarely caused by a single force. They arise when multiple system weather, pressure, timing – converge at once, overwhelming even the strongest vessel. The tragedy of the Andrea Gail was not inevitability, but accumulation: too many risks, converging at the wrong moment, with no margin left.
“As Hingham voters consider the proposed Center for Active Living, it is critical to evaluate this project within the full financial, infrastructure, and environmental realities facing the town today – because Hingham is, in many ways, steering directly into its own perfect storm,” she said.
Update sought for current senior center participants
Another resident asked Young to provide updated figures regarding the number of people who participate in different ways at the senior center now. She noted that in 2025 she learned while attending a 2025 council on aging meeting that the number of unduplicated senior center users was between 350 to 500. Young agreed to do so.
Ramsey encouraged residents with questions to email the building committee or the select board.
As background, in 2025, Town Meeting appropriated $2.5 million for professional services to complete design and pre-construction bid documents in order to obtain construction bids for a new Center for Active Living located off Bare Cove Park Drive (Article 15 Annual Town Meeting 2025).
This year, Town Meeting will consider fully funding the construction of the HCAL (Article 12 Annual Town Meeting 2026). “The recommended motion asks the town whether to appropriate not more than [$25.8] million to construct a new facility off Bare Cove Park Drive. The article authorizes the select board to borrow this amount as excluded debt. The Advisory Committee voted 9-5 in favor, and the Select Board voted 3-0 in favor of this article.
Two-thirds Town Meeting vote needed; majority at ballot box
To move forward on the construction of the Center for Active Living will require approval of Article 12 (two-thirds vote by Town Meeting on April 27) and an affirmative ballot vote (majority vote at the town election on May 2). A Proposition 2 ½ excluded debt is a voter-approved, temporary property tax increase to pay for a specific capital project and expires once that debt is fully repaid.
Annual Town Meeting is set for Monday, April 27, at Hingham High School, 17 Union St. Registration will open at 5:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin at 7 p.m. If needed, a second night for Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 28.