The city of Santa Clarita has long been admired for the enviable quality of life our residents enjoy. From young families just starting out, to empty nesters moving into a new phase in their lives, to those enjoying their golden years, Santa Clarita boasts many opportunities to be active and engaged.
As a city, it is a priority for us to ensure all of our residents have access to programs, events and activities. This includes our vital and dynamic senior community. We offer programming that is tailored to all skill sets and abilities — whether you are looking to show off your dance skills at salsa night or just get your body moving with chair yoga.
Santa Clarita is proud to be recognized by AARP as a part of the AARP Network for Age-Friendly Cities and Communities. This program focuses on providing age-friendly opportunities in the areas of housing, caregiving, community engagement, volunteering and more. This recognition is great, but we are never complacent and we are consistently implementing new programs and ways for our senior community to thrive.
An important aspect of what is offered to our seniors is making it easy to get around Santa Clarita and elsewhere by offering easy access to our transit system. Whether you are staying local or looking to expand your horizons and travel outside the city, there are many ways to get to where you want to go. Santa Clarita Transit offers free local rides to those aged 60 and over and reduced fares on our commuter routes. The city’s ongoing Dial-A-Ride transit program enables our senior population to stay mobile, enjoy local amenities and visit with family and friends. Also check out our GO! Santa Clarita rideshare service to the entire city and on weekends. For more information on services and senior rates, please visit SantaClaritaTransit.com.
For seniors looking to get active, be social and discover your next hobby – look no further than Seasons magazine. Mailed quarterly to every address in the city, Seasons is also available online at santa-clarita.com/Seasons. Within this publication, you can find information on classes, programs and events. Some popular options for our seniors include low-impact aerobics, meditation, Tai Chi, language courses, BINGO nights, computer classes and so much more.
Another activity that is booming in popularity for many residents, especially seniors, is Pickleball. This twist on tennis is one of the fastest-growing sports for our active adults, and the city recently added new courts at the new Vista Canyon Park. There are opportunities to play at several local parks and at our indoor courts. You can also sign up for league play.
Quality of life is not maintained by one sole solution but by various factors. Investing in our residents requires us to invest in the resources needed to support our community. In 2020, the city of Santa Clarita proudly donated $3.5 million toward the Bella Vida Senior Center project.
If you have not been to Bella Vida yet, I encourage you to check out the incredible new SCV Senior Center, located at 27180 Golden Valley Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350. Phone: 661-259-9444. They offer a wide range of classes, socializing, meals and more—everything from Zumba and watercolor painting to social bridge, and archeology and anthropology discussion groups. You can find out more about everything taking place at the Senior Center by visiting myscvcoa.org.
Ensuring our residents are physically active is just as important as staying mentally active. Earlier this month, the Santa Clarita Public Library collaborated with the SCV Senior Center for the “Best of Bella Vida” art exhibit. The exhibition proudly presents work created by seniors who attend the drawing and watercolor classes at the SCV Senior Center at Bella Vida. These art pieces are currently displayed at the Santa Clarita Public Library’s Old Town Newhall branch until July 28.
I cherish the wealth of knowledge, the stories our seniors have to share with us, and the many hours of volunteerism our seniors are happy to provide to our city, our nonprofits and our schools.
Our city continuously strives to create the best quality of life for our residents by providing new and innovative programs and opportunities for all to enjoy. To learn more, please check out our website at santa-clarita.com.
Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council.
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