The former Colt Elementary School in Delta Township has reopened in a new role: a place for older residents to gather, learn and take part in activities. Township, school and state leaders marked the renovation with an Oct. 13, 2026, ribbon cutting. Guests toured the Delta Township Senior and Activity Center, giving the public its first look at the renovated facility.
The senior space occupies the north half of the former school; the south side houses the Colt Early Childhood Education Center, according to the township project page and Rep. Angela Witwer’s Oct. 13 release. The arrangement gives the building two distinct public roles at one community site. The accounts describe the centers as sharing a building, not as having a joint schedule. The senior center is intended to serve older residents from around the community, while the early-childhood center serves its own school program.
Delta Township and Waverly Community Schools began working together on the dual-purpose redevelopment in 2023. The township project page says the partners moved through schematic and full architectural design with Tower Pinkster and Barton Malow. The project reuses an existing school building for two current community needs. The page listed fall 2025 as the scheduled construction start and Sept. 30, 2026, as the target for substantial completion. Those were project milestones; they do not establish that every phase ended on schedule. The Oct. 13 ribbon cutting marked the facility’s public debut.
WILX reported that community leaders cited structural issues, high repair costs and limited, hard-to-access space at the previous senior enrichment center. That is the explanation leaders gave for replacing the former location, not an independent engineering assessment. Delta Township’s project page separately notes structural failures among north-side classrooms in the former Colt building. Together, the accounts show the practical challenges behind the redevelopment while keeping the two facility histories distinct.
State Rep. Angela Witwer’s office says she and state Sen. Sarah Anthony helped secure a $10 million state appropriation for the senior-center portion. Delta Township says construction, landscaping and furnishings are expected to remain within that allocation, with no township funds anticipated. The township says bids came in under budget, allowing planned design alternates to be included. The partners expect reusing Colt to provide more programming space and save money, though the sources do not yet measure those outcomes.
At the ceremony, Witwer said creating an updated space for Delta’s older residents was a priority for her as a lifelong Eaton County resident. She planned to return after programs began to see their impact in the community. Her event release credits local senior groups and community members with sharing input during planning. Waverly Community Schools Superintendent Glenn Mitcham thanked those groups alongside township staff and state lawmakers. The public accounts establish that residents contributed to the process without tying a particular room or activity to one specific suggestion.
The first regular calendar is expected to begin in January 2027, with enrichment classes, game nights, bingo lunches and other senior activities, Witwer’s release said. The announcement gives examples and a start month, but not a complete schedule, enrollment details, registration dates or fees. Those details will matter as residents decide which activities fit their interests and calendars. For now, the reportable milestone is the opening and preview of a facility whose regular senior programming is still ahead.
The center gives the township more room for senior activities than the previous enrichment center, and the township says reusing Colt will save money for both partners. Those are the project’s stated aims and expected benefits; the sources do not yet measure attendance or community outcomes. The first tours offered residents a chance to see the refurbished site, while the January calendar will show how the senior rooms are used day to day.
By renovating Colt, the township and school district kept two programs in one existing building and created a dedicated place for older residents to gather. The senior center’s longer-term role will become clearer after classes and events begin. For now, the verified story is a public opening, a plan shaped with community input, and a first calendar scheduled for January 2027.
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