North Cambridge Senior Center Returns to Full Operation

The North Cambridge Senior Center (NCSC), located at 2050 Massachusetts Avenue, is once again open 5 days a week: Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. This marks the NCSC’s return to full operation for the first time since March 2020.

During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, both Senior Centers temporarily closed to align with state and CDC guidance and keep seniors safe. The Cambridge Senior Center, located at 806 Massachusetts Ave., served as the headquarters for the Cambridge Food Line, a collaboration between Food for Free and the Council on Aging, that provided free, fresh groceries to Cambridge seniors and immunocompromised residents. The Council on Aging quickly launched virtual programming and support groups to help seniors stay socially connected until it was safe to resume in-person offerings.

In 2021, both Senior Centers reopened to the public with limited schedules. Based on feedback from seniors, the Council on Aging offered in-person, virtual, and hybrid recreational classes. In the years since then, in-person opportunities for both Senior Centers have expanded, with the Cambridge Senior Center returning to full operation in September 2021. The North Cambridge Senior Center had a phased reopening, offering lunch and classes 2 days a week until last May, when it began opening 4 days a week. Earlier this month, operation expanded to 5 days a week. To celebrate, the North Cambridge Senior Center hosted a Grand Reopening event and lunch on October 25, featuring Harrow’s Chicken Pot Pie and live entertainment.

“We are thrilled that seniors will now be able to access the North Cambridge Senior Center 5 days a week,” said Susan Pacheco, Executive Director of the Cambridge Council on Aging. “The North Cambridge Senior Center is a wonderful and welcoming space for seniors to explore new hobbies, enjoy a meal, and make connections.”

“We look forward to welcoming new and familiar faces at the North Cambridge Senior Center,” said Interim Director Geoff Kotowski. “We hope our expanded hours will encourage more seniors to check out the exciting and wide-ranging opportunities we offer.”

In addition to a variety of activities, the North Cambridge Senior Center offers lunch every week day and monthly trips to local points of interest, including museums, parks, restaurants and more. In November, the North Cambridge Senior Center will sponsor trips to the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library (formerly known as the National Heritage Museum) and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

For more information about the North Cambridge Senior Center, including its activity and meal schedules, visit the NCSC webpage or contact Geoff Kotowski at gkotowski@cambridgema.gov or 617-340-6322.

For more information about the Cambridge Council on Aging, visit www.cambridgema.gov/CouncilonAging.

Photo: Cambridge seniors enjoy lunch at the North Cambridge Senior Center's Grand Reopening event on October 25.