Open House Will Preview Aging Assessment

The Columbia Plan Commission will hold an open house on October 25th, at which time members of the public are invited to review Building Maturing, Livable Communities, a draft community assessment, and offer their comments.

Increased life expectancy is creating record numbers of people aged 65 and older. While this age group represented only 13% of the population in 2000, it will comprise about 21% of the population in 2030. The group expected to grow most rapidly in the next 30 years is the one aged 85 years and older.

Over the past several months, members of Columbia’s Plan Commission have been assessing the local community's readiness for the impact of an aging population upon various aspects of community life. In this task, the Commission has used assessment tools provided by the Area Agency on Aging of Southwestern Illinois. While identifying challenges confronting Columbia in the various areas assessed, the Commission also hopes to identify many of the positive features that already make this city a very desirable community for the aged—and for other citizens—now and in the future.

Public input is encouraged as the Commission prepares its final report. Copies of the Commission's draft document are available for download from the City website, at City Hall or from a number of other locations around town, including the Monroe County 'Y' and the Columbia Senior Center.

The open house will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the second-floor Auditorium at Columbia City Hall, 208 S. Rapp Ave.  Members of the Plan Commission will be on hand to answer questions or accept comments, and additional copies of the draft document will be available.  The Auditorium is handicapped accessible.