The Wellesley Council on Aging (COA) has given patrons notice that beginning in July, the town will begin remodeling the Tolles Parsons Center kitchen to take advantage of commercial-grade equipment that has largely been unused since the Center’s 2017 opening due to design and permitting issues.

The kitchen was not designed in such a way that the Board of Health could approve its use for serving large group meals, hosting cooking classes, and more (See “Plans for commercial kitchen at Wellesley senior center heating up” from December, 2024). Supporters of the renovation say the kitchen can play a big role in supporting the COA’s mission to advance socialization of the town’s older residents.

Annual Town Meeting this year approved $560K in the cash capital budget to cover construction costs in a project to be led by the town’s Facilities Management Department.

The Council on Aging has informed patrons that “temporary adjustments to our programming and space usage” will need to take place during construction. More specifically:

Afternoon Activities, including movies, will be relocated to the American Legion room on the second floor. While we are fortunate to have this space available, its smaller size may limit the number of participants we can accommodate for some programs.
Lunch service (Tuesday–Friday) will be held in the Arts & Crafts Room or the Cafe during the remodeling. We appreciate your flexibility as we make this shift.

Exercise classes will temporarily move to Zoom, so you can continue your routines safely and comfortably from home. Bonus – No maximum sign-up limits while classes are on Zoom.

Maybe the renovated kitchen will make the cut next year for the Wellesley Kitchen and Home Tour fundraiser put on by the Wellesley Hills Junior Women’s Club.