Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

$30K earmark to fund energy efficiency upgrades to Senior Center

FILE PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

The Hopkinton Senior Center could see upgrades to its energy efficiency in the near future with funding allocated in the state budget.

Rep. James Arena-DeRosa announced on Facebook last week that he successfully secured a $30,000 earmark in the commonwealth’s fiscal year 2027 budget to upgrade and renovate the Senior Center. He told the Independent that the proposed upgrades to the 20-year-old building would make it more energy efficient and improve its heating and cooling systems.

“[The building] is getting old and needs some support and help,” he said.

According to Sustainable Green Committee chair Geoff Rowland — who, along with other SGC members and Senior Center director Amy Beck pitched the idea to Arena-DeRosa — the building has the highest energy use intensity of all the town’s municipal buildings. He also stated that the town voted at a previous Annual Town Meeting to fund the design project for the upgrades.

“Twenty years after its construction, it’s due for upgrades to its HVAC and insulation,” Rowland stated in an email. Another proposal the earmark may cover is the addition of solar panels to the Senior Center’s roof.

“If solar panels are feasible, the earmark would likely fund the solar upgrade, but otherwise it could supplement the HVAC project costs,” Rowland explained.

Beck said Senior Center staff are excited about the allocations of funds and the potential to make improvements to the building. “If we can get solar panels and help cut down our carbon footprint, that would be great,” she said.

While she stated there was no timeline as of yet, Beck shared her hopes that the project could get going quickly. “We would love to see improvements as soon as possible, if we can get them,” she said.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

A.F. Amorello & Sons will begin installing a subdrain on Main Street today to address a drainage issue.

Linda Johnson, 84, passed away July 4. She was a former resident of Hopkinton.

Town meetings tonight include the Housing Authority (7), Trails Committee (7) and Zoning Advisory Committee (7).

Photo of the Day

Children take off down the track at Hopkinton High School during the Parks & Recreation Department’s track and field clinic with Skyhawks Sports Academy last week.

PHOTO/STEPH STEVENS