Leaders in Salt Lake County are staking their commitment to finishing construction on the 10th East Senior Center in Salt Lake City.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson announced Tuesday that the project will indeed continue as originally planned.
The facility’s future was briefly uncertain when the Salt Lake County Council voted during an early November meeting in favor of closing the center. As the County Council was considering what items to cut from the 2026 budget, one of several ideas on the potential chopping block was discontinuing reconstruction of the 10th East Senior Center — which began in September — thus leaving the facility closed.
That proposed measure quickly drew opposition from seniors, community members and some elected officials who contend that it wastes taxpayer money and betrays public trust.
According to the county, approximately $3 million in funds has already been spent toward the $10 million effort to reconstruct the aging building at 237 S. 1000 East.
In December, when the County Council voted to adopt the 2026 budget after making a series of cuts, the council said construction to rebuild the 10th East Senior Center would continue as officials ensured funds to keep the project afloat.
“Construction on the county’s 10th East Senior Center will continue and, prior to its reopening in early 2027, I will work to identify operational funds necessary to welcome our seniors back to the center,” Wilson said in a statement Tuesday.
“We have an obligation to continue the project primarily for the benefit of the seniors it serves, and also because of our contractual obligation to the builders and architects,” Wilson said. “Salt Lake County lives up to its commitments.”
However, in efforts to address the shortfall for future operational costs, Salt Lake County is pursuing new market tax credits and is hopeful these credits can provide additional revenue for the project and reduce construction costs, ultimately freeing up funds for operations, according to the statement.
“I appreciate the work done to find additional funding sources to save taxpayer dollars,” Salt Lake County Council Chairwoman Aimee Winder Newton said in a statement. “Keeping the 10th East Senior Center open will provide great connection opportunities for seniors and those who use this center.”
Wilson said she plans to continue working with the County Council, the county’s Aging and Adult Services division and Salt Lake City, among other partners, to ensure funding gaps are identified and the senior center can reopen on schedule.
“The collaborative work by the mayor, her office, and both parties on the County Council allowed us to arrive at a solution that serves our seniors and keeps this center open for the foreseeable future,” said Councilman Jiro Johnson, whose district includes the 10th East Senior Center.