For the Longmont Senior Center, getting older adults active isn’t the problem — it’s making sure there’s enough space to take them where they want to go.

Over the past three years, the Longmont Senior Center has seen an increase in visitors interested in going on day trips to fun destinations around Colorado. According to Ronnie Maynes, senior services manager, guest visits to the Senior Center increased from 66,761 in 2022 to 98,144 in 2024.

However, with two 15-passenger vans, there’s often not enough room to fit all of the people, ages 55 and up, who want to participate.

The vans can carry a total of 26 senior participants, but there is always a waitlist for day trips, Maynes said.

The Senior Center will sometimes offer popular trips twice, but that isn’t possible with all excursions.

“Whatever approach we take, we constantly have a waitlist of people wanting to go on these day trips,” Maynes said. “We have a lot of people who don’t get to experience these trips.”

To meet this growing need, the center took a request for two additional vans to local nonprofit Friends of the Longmont Senior Center last year. The nonprofit, which financially supports Senior Center programs and services, decided to fund the purchase of the two new vehicles. The vans started transporting seniors a couple of weeks ago.

The new vans, which are 2024 Ford models, also hold 15 people each. This allows the number of trip participants to be capped at 52. One of the new vans also has a wheelchair lift, which means the Senior Center now has two vans with these lifts.

Maynes said the two vans cost a total of $218,000. The city of Longmont bought the vans as city vehicles, and Friends of the Longmont Senior Center reimbursed the city for that purchase.

Karen Roney, Friends of the Longmont Senior Center board chair, said the funds to buy the vehicles came from the nonprofit’s investment account.

The board voted to put the money toward the vans after hearing about the Senior Center’s waitlists.

“We thought we could make a difference,” Roney said. “We just felt like we could make that investment and really make life more enjoyable for Senior Center participants who really love to participate in those day trip activities.”

Maynes said that acquiring new vans is ultimately cheaper than the Senior Center’s alternative: renting a charter bus. It’s also more affordable for seniors, many of whom are on fixed incomes, since registration prices won’t have to increase to cover a charter bus fee.

“We’re providing more opportunities for people to go on trips, and we’re saving money,” he said.

Maynes noted that the population of people over 60 living in Boulder County is expected to increase from approximately 73,000 to 111,000 by 2050, according to county data. This is because more seniors are moving to Boulder County, and because current residents are aging into that senior demographic, Maynes said.

In 2024, the Longmont Senior Center offered 134 day trips with over 2,400 participants, according to Maynes.

“We’re going to see our senior population increase drastically,” he said. “But in real time, here in Longmont, we’re already seeing it.”

Day trips coming up this summer include trips to Nederland, Fort Collins, Denver and Estes Park. There are also several trips that depart from the Longmont Senior Center and stay within the city, including visits to Longmont Bingo Alley and the Callahan House.

Maynes said the Senior Center is a place where older Longmont residents can find community and belonging.

“I just love walking through our building and seeing our classrooms full,” he said. “It’s so important to have a place where you feel welcomed.”