POST FALLS - Talk about turning a negative into a positive.

The Post Falls Senior Center - shut down the past four months due to water damage from a busted pipe - re-opened with a new look on Friday.

"It's wonderful here, and the food is delicious," said senior Mary Cease during an open house and the re-grand opening of the center. "It needed a lot of work before."

Improvements include a new laminate floor and carpet, energy-efficient windows, a more-open center, new paint with contemporary colors and a new sound system.

Bob Hughes noticed that a hazard in the middle of the dance floor - a rubber expansion joint - was also missing from before.

"People would trip over that," Hughes said.

Added features that came in conjunction with the opening included donations of a piano, a tree of life wall mural, barbecue, flat-screen TVs and round tables that replaced banquet tables to offer a more intimate setting.

"We had the opportunity to do everything fresh," said Alison McArthur, the center's director.

Volunteer efforts from throughout the community also sprouted, including New Vision High students who reupholstered damaged chairs.

Some seniors enjoyed a game of Wii bowling at the event and a ping pong table is expected to be added.

"We intend to make it into an active center, not just a passive center," said Jackie McAvoy, a board member at the center.

Seniors said the food is also noticeably different from before.

"The timing of this was perfect because (changes) were needed," Irene Knauber said. "We had so many people leave because the food was poor, but hopefully this will bring people back."

McArthur said new cooks have been added as previous employees moved on to different positions when the center closed.

She said 80 seniors have RSVP'd for Monday's meal. In December, the turnout for meals had dwindled to about 15.

McArthur, seniors and Mayor Clay Larkin, who spearheaded the table sponsor drive, praised Garden Plaza for hosting the weekly meals and other activities while the repairs and upgrades took place.

"Garden Plaza has been a super host, but the big difference between there and here is that this is home," Hughes said. "The seniors are the owners of this place and it makes a difference with pride in coming back here."

Norman Ernst, who has been coming to the center since 1996, thanked McArthur and the board for the "fantastic" transition. He said seniors originally thought the center would be closed for a month, but four months was still worth the wait.

"We saw a lot of people we've never seen before at Garden Plaza - that's a Class A facility - and we hope they'll try the center out now," Ernst said.

McAvoy said there were tears in January, looking over the water damage. But those have been replaced with smiles - and relief - with the improvements.

"We cried a lot, but we're now pleased that it's a positive thing for everybody," she said.

McArthur declined to say what the project's total cost is because the center is still in discussions with its insurance company.

The total damage was earlier estimated around $100,000. The Greene Idaho Foundation donated $4,000 to the center on Friday. McArthur estimates that an additional $8,000 will be needed through fundraisers to pay off the project.

The first fundraiser will be a car show with vendors at the center on June 4 in conjunction with Post Falls Days.

Knauber said the project has given new life to the center.

"It's a whole different atmosphere in here," Knauber said.