Parkersburg mayor announces presentation on activity, recreation facility
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PARKERSBURG -- A venue to host a variety of events is the subject of a presentation prior to Tuesday's Parkersburg City Council meeting.
Mayor Tom Joyce on Friday invited members of the public and council to see and hear about a potential Activity and Recreation Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building.
"Really, for Parkersburg, this is a once-in-two-or-three-generations opportunity or initiative," Joyce said.
The mayor did not specify the proposed location of the center, but city officials have discussed for several years the possibility of replacing the nearly 100-year-old pavilion in City Park. A summary of the project in the city's five-year infrastructure capital plan estimates a $12.6 million cost for "a multipurpose recreation center" to accommodate "dozens of groups, events and activities."
Joyce said the goal is not to compete with existing facilities or programming but to "enhance the hobbies, activities and passions in the community."
"The opportunities are limitless," he said. "You could have a music-related event on Friday and then on Sunday have a car show or boat show."
Council members discussed the project in January at a Committee of the Whole meeting to identify goals and priorities for the year. Councilman Mike Reynolds suggested tackling the new facility in City Park while the city still had American Rescue Plan Act funds remaining to bolster its budget.
Reynolds said Friday that he has not seen the latest design or cost estimates but he looks forward to the mayor's proposal.
"I think it's going to be a really good building that the public is going to be able to use way more," he said. "We all want to do something that the public will be able to enjoy. ... Hopefully the timing's right."
Joyce said the existing pavilion has been taken into consideration if plans for a new facility move forward at the park.
"We've looked real hard at whether we can preserve the existing pavilion and incorporate it," he said.
Council will meet in regular session at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the agenda including budget revisions allocating ARPA money for equipment purchases and change to the timeframes for hearings before the Building Enforcement Agency.
Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com.
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Tuesday's City of Parkersburg meetings
* 6:30 p.m. - Presentation on proposed Activity and Recreation Center, council chambers, Municipal Building
* 7:30 p.m. - Parkersburg City Council, council chambers