“The laughter never stops,” says Trason Dixon of daily life at the Park City Senior Center. Since he became Executive Director last year, Dixon and the Board have expanded hours from two to four days a week and serve far more seniors. “We have over 700 members,” he smiles.
A native Montanan who came to Utah to earn a master’s degree from Utah State, Dixon says his parks and recreation studies led to Senior Center management, motivated in part by “my four fantastic, adventurous, active, social grandparents.”
Trason’s Park City story began in 2022 when he met his partner, Emily. Visiting her parents in the area, “I was blown away by the view from the Crecent Express,” he recalls. Today, the pair fully embrace Park City’s Mountainkind lifestyle, enjoying tennis, basketball, golf, and hiking, while occasionally dashing off to explore the West’s national parks. “I’m also a massive lover of music and movies,” he adds, “another passion Emily shares.”
Nestled in a cozy residential neighborhood on Woodside Avenue, the PC Senior Center is a social hub where seniors “make friends, learn, grow, dine, exercise, and stay involved,” Trason says. A typical Monday includes exercise and chair yoga, Billiards Club, Mexican Train Dominoes, lunch, and Bridge Club. “We have the youngest seniors in Utah,” he laughs of the nonstop energy.
A nonprofit organization, the Center relies heavily on donations. “Our lifeblood!” Trason says. “We would not exist without them.” To ensure consistent funding and permanent staffing, he and the Board hope to ultimately transition Center management to Park City Municipal or Summit County. In the meantime, they are focused on funding a new building to support expanding services.
“Being able to see and feel just how happy our Center makes Park City seniors is incredibly rewarding,” Trason says. As for how Parkites can help keep this vibrant hub of senior life thriving, his message is simple: “Donate and spread the word!”