Community Center Progress Moving Slowly

By Kendra Bobowick

Hints of frustration colored the quick back-and-forth conversation among Parks and Recreation Commission members regarding a proposed community center they would share with seniors.

After some discussion, Patrick Barczak cut to the point: “We haven’t seen anything, done anything,” regarding plans for a combined-use facility to house recreation and senior programming.

Asking again a question that has come up for nearly two years since then-first selectmen Herb Rosenthal instructed seniors and the Parks and Recreation Department to consider a combined facility, Ms PJ Yochum asked, “What about the seniors?” At first reluctant to pool efforts and capital improvement funds with the recreation department, the seniors last year finally committed to the project. In past months, Ames and Whitaker of Waterbury signed on as the architect.

Mr Barczak insisted, “Let’s get started. We’re ready to start talking to people.”

Nodding, chairman Ed Marks agreed that the commission should be “moving forward.”

During the meeting Parks and Recreation Director Amy Mangold referred to a letter from Jeff Cugno with project manager O&G Industries Inc. The letter, dated November 10, offered hints about where the project stands. To Ms Mangold, he wrote that the O&G and Ames and Whitaker proposal for programming and schematic design should be forwarded to the Board of Selectmen by week’s end. Mr Cugno wrote, “It lays out a 30-week schedule starting December 1 2008.” The schedule, he notes, will “get through” programming, approvals, schematic design, design approvals, cost estimating, and more.

Funding is another matter. As the recreation department prepares to present this year’s five-year capital improvement funding requests to town officials, they needed to confirm that the seniors are firm in the decision to be a part of the community center. Ms Mangold told the commission at its recent meeting, “I asked for a letter of commitment from them.” The letter, commission members hope, will show both parties’ intentions of moving ahead with the community center.

Regarding correspondence from Mr Cugno or from the seniors, the first selectman’s office does not yet have those letters. Commission on Aging member LeReine Frampton, who was to send a letter to the selectmen, was not available for comment this week.

The recreation department intends to request roughly $5 million in its Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) plans to continue the project. The last CIP provided $1 million for securing the architect and to begin Litchfield House demolition.