Recreation Center planning meeting set for Thursday
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on July 18, 2007 1:45 PM
With work at the Paramount Theater site well under way, Goldsboro officials now have their eyes on the other multi-million dollar facility they approved last September.
Recreation Center Com-mittee Chairman Chuck Allen said he expects to see "something close" to completed plans for the $10 million facility at a meeting with architectural firm Pearce, Brinkley, Cease and Lee, scheduled for Thursday morning at City Hall.
"They pretty much think they have the plans done," Allen said. "I think they just want to say, 'Hey guys, this is what we're coming up with. Are you still on board?'"
Preliminary plans for the 55,000-square-foot facility received favorable reviews from committee members and resembled a YMCA.
A swimming pool, indoor basketball court, locker rooms and weight area are among the features expected to be included in the final plans.
Allen said he hopes to "get the ball rolling" and begin work on the building as soon as possible.
"My hope is that we put this thing out for bid in mid-January 2008," he said. "I think that's the very best we can do."
The project has been in the design phase for several months now.
Meanwhile, crews have already cleared property located on the 200 block of Center Street to house the facility -- an $86,000 undertaking that included removal of all buildings, sheds, pavement, light poles, fixtures and fencing at the site.
Another $450,000 was spent to purchase the parcels -- one, owned by Claude and Evelyn Paul, and the other, by Patrick McArthur and Paul.
The Recreation Center project began after the Wayne County Memorial Community Building was destroyed by fire in 2004.