The Oswego Senior Center has found a new home.

In a press release issued Tuesday, July 21, senior center officials announced the center is moving to a commercial building at 84 Templeton Drive, just east of Plainfield Road, in Oswego.

"Although our space will be smaller, we plan to offer as many programs as publicly safe during COVID-19 pandemic," officials said in the release.

Earlier this month, the Oswego School District 308 asked the senior center to vacate its location in the former Traughber Junior High School building on Franklin Street at Washington Street in Oswego by the end of this month, Oswego Senior Center Board of Directors President Wallace Hamlin confirmed.

The senior center has leased the space from the school district in the building since 2009.

Hamlin said the school district sent a letter to the center June 29 informing them the center had to end its tenancy so that the school could use the space for student programs and teacher development training.

"We received a letter on June 29 from the district informing us that they needed to take back possession of the facility in order to use it for educational purposes for the kids of the district," Hamlin said.

The building and adjoining frontage along Route 71 has been on the market for sale since March 2018, after the district vacated the property in December 2017. The property also served as the home of the Oswego Family YMCA, before it disbanded operations in the wake of the district's decision to sell.

The senior center release notes that it will have less space in its new location on Templeton Drive and that it will be leaving furniture, kitchen items, programming supplies and more at its current location which will be made available to the public.

The release continues: "If you donated items to the center previously, you are welcome to reclaim. Cash or check donations for items would be greatly appreciated. Hours for claiming and removing items from Oswego Senior Center located at 156 E. Washington St., will be: 9 a.m. to noon, Monday, July 27 and Tuesday July 28. Face masks are required.  Enter building on Washington St side through Door 6."