NORTH BEND — Tuesday was a good day for the North Bend Senior Activities Center.

After establishing 10 committees to help run the facility and programs, board members learned they will receive $2,000 to repair a dysfunctional cooling and heating system that has kept some members from dropping in. 

The money, which comes from the city via an $8,000 state revenue sharing grant, will help pay for part of the repairs that will be made by Chambers Plumbing & Heating of Coos Bay.

The North Bend City Council gave the remainder of the $8,000 Tuesday to programs including the Bob Belloni Ranch Inc., which will receive $1,000; $2,000 to the Coos County Retired & Senior Volunteer Program; $1,000 to the Women’s Safety & Resource Center; while the Friends of State Street Park, the Start Making a Reader Today program, Coos Elderly Services and Coos County Area Transit Service District each will gain $500.

Mayor Rick Wetherell said the selection process was bittersweet as the council had to choose from 19, more than double the applicants than it had in the 2007-08 fiscal year for the same amount of cash. At that time, only eight nonprofit groups applied.

“Through a gnashing of teeth and moaning we came to a decision,” he said.

Following the meeting, Barry Sorenson, president of the senior center’s board of directors, said he’d heard rumors the center might get some extra money.

“I think it’s going to be a big help,” he said.

That, paired with other grants, fundraising from a planned Bingo game on Feb. 7 and rent money from Fresh Beginnings Catering Company, which took over the center’s daily lunch service, should allow the center to pay for the repairs in no time, Sorenson said. He noted that $900 has already been allocated to the heating repair bill of about $5,000, which must be paid in full within three months. He added that Fresh Beginnings paid $3,000 for three months rent.

“Chambers has given us very good terms,” he explained.

Recent changes at the center seem to be making a positive impact. The center brought in 75 diners for lunch Tuesday — the largest crowd it’s had in months. In November, the center was averaging 20 to 30 people a day. This represents a big improvement for the center, which lost a significant number of members — and consequently funds — as seniors were deterred by the lack of heating, activities and organization. Since then it has added a new board of directors and has worked to reorganize so it can better serve local seniors.

Councilor Barry Hayes, who assisted in the revitalization of the center, said he is proud of its members and had just received the check to give to Chambers.

“A few months ago, this wasn’t going to happen,” he said. “They were going to lock the doors and it was going to be over with.”

Wetherell agreed that the progress is exciting.

“It’s just amazing what has happened in six, seven, eight weeks,” he added.