Groups float Giorgetti expansion idea
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Giorgetti Arena in Rutland on Monday evening. Cassandra Hotaling / Rutland Herald |
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By Cristina Kumka Staff Writer - Published: September 22, 2009
The Rutland Recreation Department and the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County are looking for a new home in Giorgetti Park and come March, both organizations might ask for the public's help to do it — in the form of a $3 million to $5 million taxpayer-approved bond to expand the athletic complex to include administrative offices and a community center.
Officials from both organizations and members of the city's Board of Aldermen converged at the Dana Recreation Center at 39 East Center St. Monday night to announce their joint plan — to ask voters for "a cent for the center," or a one-penny increase on the city tax rate, to renovate, upgrade and expand the park's current ice rink and skate park.
Tagged the "Community Center @ Giorgetti Park," the plan is for both organizations to run youth programs out of the complex, share administrative space, build exercise rooms for the public, a fieldhouse for indoor sports for all ages and a walking / jogging track, among other features.
An air-inflated facility or "bubble" will be built at the northwest side of the current facility and more parking would be built where the playground is now, according to EJay Bishop, superintendent of the Rutland Recreation & Parks Department.
The playing fields would be preserved and new activities would be offered — a possible landing dock for kayaks and mountain biking trips in neighboring Pine Hill Park.
The project would likely be exempt from the environmental permitting process and maintenance on the property would be covered by an endowment from the late Mary Giorgetti, Bishop said.
The Recreation Department would leave the Dana Center and the Boys & Girls Club would vacate its Merchants Row location.
To make it happen, officials say Rutland taxpayers may be asked next year, through a question on the ballot, to approve a $17 increase on their tax bills if they own a home valued at the city average of $160,000.
The tax increase would generate $100,000 a year toward paying off the municipal bond, matched with $100,000 funding from the Boys & Girls Club and increased program revenues, according to Bishop and Larry Bayle, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club.
The total cost of the project is approximately $4 million.
"This upgrade will allow for recreation activities with increased hours of operation and we would be able to have a multipurpose room, walking/jogging track and an indoor arena for basketball, football, hockey, lacrosse and soccer," Bayle said during Monday's announcement.
The proposal is both new and recycled — it came out of a consistent sharing of services among the two organizations and last year's plan for The Community Recreation and Aquatics Center at The Giorgetti Athletic Complex, according to Bishop.
That plan, for a new $23 million structure on the property, was turned down by Mendon residents in September of last year and the city Recreation Department put the plan on hold to solicit more city support.
On Monday, city officials resoundingly offered nods of approval.
Board of Aldermen President David Allaire said the latest proposal for expansion made economic sense.
Board Member William Notte said it was a way to keep youth tied to the city.
"There's so much potential here … a world of options," he said. "Where kids don't say the sooner we can get out of (Rutland) the better."
Board Member Tom DePoy said he toured other rural community centers and didn't see transportation or a move out of downtown being a problem for the Boys & Girls Club.
"I see it as (the organizations) saying it's going to be a big enhancement to what's going on, more fresh air and open space, get (youth) out where the grass is, where the trees are and they will have a different experience," DePoy said.
Bishop and Bayle said youth would be bused to the new facility and other transportation partnerships with the school district and public transportation officials would be explored.
Mayor Christopher Louras said it would be up to the public to make the center a reality.
"It's not a question of prioritizing one project over another as far as initiating ballot questions is concerned," Louras said.
"Though I support this project, it will ultimately be up to the taxpayers to decide. If approved, it will help position the city to better recover from these challenging economic times."
Reporter Stephanie Peters contributed to this report.
cristina.kumka@rutlandherald.com
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