History

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Since Pasadena's earliest days, citizens have sought ways to make their city a better place to live.  As early as 1951, they began noting the number of Pasadenans who continued living in the city as they entered the mature years and questioned what the community could do to enhance their lives.  It was not uncommon for a community to care for its young people, but it was a new step to address the quality of life it offered its older members.  The concept for the Pasadena Senior Center grew out of that concern. 

On October 25, 1957, the Pasadena-Altadena Committee for Senior Citizens formed by Pasadena's City Directors to investigate ways to serve seniors outlined action to be taken.  The Directors responded by providing the site for a senior center in Memorial Park and floating a bond issue to construct it.  A nonprofit board was named to operate it. 

In 1959, the Junior League of Pasadena joined the project in a sponsorship that continued for ten years and ultimately provided thousands of volunteer hours as well as funds.  

The Pasadena Senior Center first opened its doors in May 1960.  Thus began a partnership of the public and private sectors that created the first nonprofit senior center in Southern California and one of the first in the nation.  The partnership continues today as the Pasadena Senior Center continues to be a model for other communities. 

In 1983, the Pasadena Senior Center was named one of nine recipients for ten years of funds provided by the Margaret Bundy Scott Trust, a relationship that has given the Center the opportunity to greatly expand its outreach to seniors. All associated with the Center are deeply indebted to the Margaret Bundy Scott for her magnificent financial support.   

In 1998 we opened our doors to a rejuvenated facility, which was tripled in size.  It has allowed us to greatly expand our activities as the building has several new outgrowths: a billiard room, fully equipped gym, video production room, computer lab, library, more meeting rooms, a larger multipurpose room, intern and counseling offices and more employee space. 

In the March of 1999, keeping with high standards, the Pasadena Senior Center was awarded national accreditation by the National Council on Aging's National Institute on Senior Centers. This accreditation makes the Pasadena Senior Center the first nationally accredited senior center in the state of California.   The Center was re accredited in 2006.

Today, we continue our high standards as our seniors choose from a wide variety of experiences designated just for them that will educate (over 50 classes taught weekly including Senior Curriculum, a continuing education program with local colleges and universities), inform them (Senior Advocacy Council with forums for seniors), make them fit (exercise, tap classes, walking, tai chi and a well-equipped fitness center), involve them (Encore Café, a monthly television show written, designed and produced for and by seniors) and entertain (monthly birthday celebrations for our members and special holiday gatherings).   

Seniors come to our Center 364 days a year.  One of our members said it best when she came for our delightful 4th of July holiday celebration: "My family invited me to go with them for the holiday, and I had fun telling them..I already have plans." 

Seniors fifty and over are welcome regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, nationality or where they reside.  The Board of Directors, staff and volunteers are united in their mission - to improve and enrich the lives of seniors. 

The Founding of the Pasadena Senior Center
A Tale of Passion and Determination

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The year was 1953.  The place was Pasadena, CA.  The person was Ed Bignell.  The dream was to create a place specifically for seniors to go for recreational and social activities - a senior center. 

It was Ed's role as Pasadena's first full-time Director of Physical Education and Recreation that enabled him to fulfill his dream. The seeds for that vision were planted years earlier when Ed was employed as the Superintendent of Recreation for the City of Palo Alto.  It was there that he learned of a place called "Little House," in neighboring Menlo Park, the first place in the state to offer indoor activities and programs exclusively for seniors.

Ed knew that the City of Pasadena had a significant population of older adults, yet he was also aware that city recreation traditionally focused on programs for children and teens. A city-wide survey revealed that 17% of the population was seniors with no programs or services and no place to go.  Ed firmly believed that a city's recreation program should be inclusive of serving all of its citizens, not just youth.  Thus, Ed set out to bring the concept of "Little House" to Pasadena.

In order to make the senior center a reality, Ed needed to gather support and the Recreation Commission gave him the "go-ahead".  At that time in the City's history, the Commission was composed of 11 individuals from the Pasadena Unified School District, the City Council and the community at large.  Because of the close integration of the two entities, the City paid 50% of all costs related to programs, and the School District covered the other 50%.  Ed served as liaison between the City and the Commission.

The journey began.  Ed and the Commission took a bus tour of Los Angeles.  What they discovered was that there was not one single building in all of Los Angeles dedicated to senior programs.  There were multi-purpose centers, but nothing for the 50+ population.

He then recruited Pasadena notables Reverend Max Morrison of Lake Avenue Presbyterian Church and Giles Hall of CalTech to join a small committee to finalize the concept and plan the strategy to accomplish their goal.  In spite of their enthusiasm and determination, the pathway to the new senior center was a rough one. For five years, the committee hit a "brick wall", unable to get City approval to float a bond issue to fund the project. Yet, they never gave up. 

Finally, the help they needed came from an unexpected source. Assistant City Manager, Robert McCurdy's mother, a senior herself, heard about the unsuccessful efforts to get City endorsement for the bond issue. She and her lunch group urged (to put it mildly) him to support the committee and back its cause.  Because of Mrs. McCurdy's persistence, the City finally approved their project.  After years of work, a bond issue for improvements to municipal parks passed and there were finally funds to build Pasadena's new senior center.  However, the building itself was not specifically mentioned in the original bond issue.  After more negotiations, the City agreed to construct the building, but not staff the center.  Memorial Park was selected as the site.

So, now Ed and his group had a building, but no one to staff it.  The Junior League of Pasadena then became involved to help with the project and to finance a Director for the Center.  A nation-wide search was held and the first part-time Director was hired from Ohio.  A Board of Directors was formed and its first act was to file for non-profit status.

On May 22, 1960, the Pasadena Senior Center opened its doors, alive with activities, and ready to serve the previously unmet needs of Pasadena's seniors.  It was the first private, non-profit senior center in Southern California.  Because of the collaborative efforts of the City and the community, Ed Bignell finally saw his vision of a senior center in Pasadena become a reality.

Ed, now age 92, proudly says, "I think that the Pasadena Senior Center's present and past, directors, staff, and boards, have done a wonderful job of providing and constantly improving some of the best programs for seniors that can be found anywhere."

Pasadena Senior Center
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