PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — In 2006, the community began sketching plans to replace the 7,200-square-foot William V. Haskell Community Center in order to give youths and adults a better place to gather, be active, hold meetings and conduct other activities.
But the downturn in the economy hampered those efforts, and during a City Council meeting earlier this month, Chris Beaulieu, director of Presque Isle Recreation and Parks Department, said that a new vision for a replacement structure has been drafted.
The new building will be smaller and less costly. Fundraising will help generate the money to finance it.
The existing Haskell center on Main Street was built in 1944 and has a gym and a lounge as well as office space.
The new center will be located on 8 acres on Chapman Street. The site was chosen because of its closeness to the downtown, the outdoor pool, the bicycle path and Riverside Park, which is where the department holds its soccer program.
The original architectural plan for the new facility called for a $10 million, 37,000-square-foot, two-story facility.
“We put the brakes on that due to the bad economy,” Beaulieu said during the recent meeting. He said the new plan wouldn’t cost as much but would maintain the look and features that people wanted to see in the updated center.
The revised plans call for a $7 million, 30,000-square-foot, single-story facility that will feature a walking track, gymnasium, locker, meeting rooms, space for citizen groups and other amenities.
The city secured funding several years ago to clean up the land and make sure it is free from contaminants. The formal fundraising process is ready to begin, Beaulieu said during the meeting.
They’re just jealous of Caribou’s new one.
“OMG” What a joke this is “at our expense” Like we needed an assistant for the city manager…like we needed a oversized ladder fire truck…like we needed to rehire the school super and pay him more than the governor of the state….like we needed to help fund a 100 year celebration for the local hospital…….do I need to go on…this place is no different than any other place in the world …spending money we don’t have and being to stupid to care what happens for the future generations. We don’t need to put in a community center that costs 10 million dollars or even 7 million where do these people think we live in hollywood. The people on the council are a joke also………they like to get back in bed with the likes of bonville. It is so out there now that we will never see good times for our children because they will spend their lives struggling to make things better from the enviroment to the government to religion…… Penn state is just the top of the iceburg…….
oh and chapman street for a location ???????????come on what was wrong with the park where Winnie’s is. To far away from being on a location where there might be less damage to the facility……..I’m just saying probably not the most ideal location.
Why not take some of the money that has been raised and offer it to residents to offset the membership cost of using Gentile Hall? How many facilities does Presque Isle really need?