Community center concepts under discussion in Hilton-Parma

Community center concepts
under discussion in Hilton-Parma

The preliminary information-gathering has been going on for about seven years but progress is being made toward defining specifications for the possible construction of a community center in the Hilton-Parma area.

According to Steve Fowler, director of Hilton-Parma Recreation, the vision for the community center would be to construct a 50,000 square foot facility that could incorporate the library, a 10,500 square foot gymnasium that would be designed for multi-purpose use, a senior lounge component, multi-purpose rooms for both the recreation center and the library to utilize, play areas for children, and an indoor walking exercise track in addition to administrative offices. Too early in the process to assign a dollar amount, the price tag for a project of this size and scope could be close to $8 million.

"We've been focusing on the recreation needs of the community as well as the need the library has expressed for more room," Fowler said. "A recreation needs analysis was put together in August 2004 that outlined what the community needs now and for the future."

Sally Snow, the director of the library said, "The library has been cramped for years. We only have six public (computer) terminals for people to utilize and at certain times of the day we have people waiting to get onto a computer.

The library has a "one book in, one book out" policy. "We just don't have room to accommodate the books that are coming in so, unfortunately, we have to remove a book for every book we bring in." She also said the staff areas are overcrowded. "The library is about 8,000 square feet and a study was done in the 1970s that showed the facility should be close to 14,000 square feet."

Part of the proposal that is being looked at by the community center commission is to either renovate and expand at the present location at the village community center on Henry Street or to look for an alternative location for the proposed community center.

Joe Lee, a village trustee who serves as the liaison for the Hilton Parma Recreation Program, agrees that something needs to be done to accommodate the needs of the community. "Our population is exploding and we need something and someplace for our kids to go when the schools are closed," he said. "The village really wants the library to stay within the village limits but we've been looking at incorporating the library with the community center. If all goes well, we will build at the Henry Street location and the library could move there."

Town of Parma Councilman Jim Smith, a liaison to the Rec Program, said the recreation commission is full of ideas and has done research to prove the need for a new facility does exist. "They've done projections for the future and they feel we need a larger facility," he said. "We do know the library has expressed a need for a larger facility. Right now they are land locked and parking is also an issue (the library shares parking with a neighboring church). It would be ideal to keep the library downtown but they are bursting at the seams right now."

Town and village officials have met and have heard presentations from the recreation commission and Fowler several times over the past few months. At a recent meeting, the town drew up specifications for a contract and feasibility studies and anticipates presenting a contract to an architectural firm in the near future. The firm would develop projections on cost estimates for not only constructing, but the on-going maintenance of the building, come up with conceptual designs and recommendations on locations for the building.

"This is more money than we've ever spent on a project in the community," Smith said, adding that the community did offer overwhelming support for the construction of a new firehouse. "Once we have more concrete information, we would have to have a referendum to see whether the community would support a project of this magnitude."

Fowler said his group would be hosting meetings to explain the project to community groups and would be forming focus groups to gauge interest. Both Fowler and Snow said the idea of a combined center would be beneficial to the residents. "We would look to partner on programs," Fowler said.

Snow said the library board would be meeting with town and village officials on April 19 to discuss plans, goals and talk about locations of facilities.