Pella Community Center on track for new facelift
Jul. 19—PELLA — The Pella Community Center continues to move closer to a much-needed facelift as local government and volunteer groups hash out a plan for renovations.
On Tuesday, Pella City Council received an update from Schemmer, the project's engineer, and representatives from Friends of the Pella Community Center, during a policy and planning meeting. Both groups pitched the current renovation plans for the building, along with conservative cost estimates for the project.
The base plan for the project includes electrical, mechanical and plumbing upgrades, improving accessibility, replacing HVAC systems and windows, masonry repairs, restroom renovations, fire protection enhancements and renovations to reopen the community gym on the ground floor.
The city has committed $5.5 million toward the project. Schemmer estimates most of the city's funding will cover the base plan, with a total projected cost of $4.3 million.
Friends of the Pella Community Center, a local nonprofit organization formed in 2018, has a mission to preserve the building as a historic landmark while ensuring its continued usefulness as a community resource. The group successfully placed the building on the National Register of Historic Places and has since partnered with the city to help spearhead its renovation and preservation.
In May, the group launched an online survey and held a community meeting to receive public input to help create a future use plan for the building. The top three items that respondents said would attract them to the community center were reopening the gym for noncompetitive activities; expanded art programming or increased availability; and the importance of preserving historic structures in the community.
The results also showed a strong desire to expand senior activities, improve accessibility and create a certified kitchen that could be used for gatherings or cooking classes.
Friends of the Pella Community Center has launched a fundraising campaign, the "Heart of Pella," to raise money for additional upgrades to the building. Based on need and public input, those upgrades include a new elevator and stair addition, a certified kitchen, additional interior remodeling/reconfiguring and flex space. This puts the total estimated cost for the project between $8.5-$10 million.
"There's a lot of treasures in there, and there's an extensive history in that building," said councilwoman Lynn Branderhorst. "I can honestly say that the reopening of the gym is probably in the top five things that citizens ask me about. It's never 'Is it going to be open?' but 'When is it going to be open?' I think that the community has a huge interest in this."
The Pella Community Center, located at 712 Union Street, is owned by the city and is home to the Community Services Department, Joan Kuyper Farver Auditorium, Union Street Players, Crossroads of Pella, the Pella Community Art Center and others. The building was originally built and used as Pella's first high school, beginning in 1916, and later became the community center in 1978.
More history about the building can be found in the Herald's Now and Then Magazine. To support the Heart of Pella fund, send a donation online at paypal.me/HeartofPella or mail a donation to Arvin Van Zante, 1117 Big Rock Park Rd., Pella, IA 50219.
Emily Hawk is the associate editor of the Ottumwa Courier and the Oskaloosa Herald. She can be reached at ehawk@oskyherald.com.
