Streetsboro expands size, price of community center

Streetsboro City Council is moving forward with a revised plan for its proposed community center, which will now be almost 1,000-square-feet larger and cost more than $3 million.

Streetsboro Parks and Recreation Director Greg Mytinger presented revised plans for a community center to house programs for the city's parks department and senior citizens. The proposed building would be constructed at Streetsboro City Park, off Kirby Lane.

At council's direction, the size of the building expanded by nearly 1,000 square feet, with a third community room to house activities. The three dividable spaces could seat 150 people when used as one room.

The estimated price of the building also rose, from $2.6 million to $3.1 million. The number of parking spaces also increased from 50 to 60. The activity rooms all will have entrances to a patio that overlooks the park.

More:'A second home': Streetsboro debates $2.6M community center for seniors, other programs

Council unanimously approved an ordinance agreeing to move forward with the revised proposal Monday.

Council members, who had previously expressed concern that the building would be too small, hailed the plan to expand the proposed center.

"I love the bigger building," Councilman Justin Ring said. "If we're going to build it, let's build it to the size it needs to be so we don't have to turn seniors away."

Mytinger presented plans for the center earlier in September. The original plan housed two 1,000-square-foot meeting rooms. However, council members expressed concerns that the 5,500- to 6,500-square-foot building would quickly become too small for the city's needs.

Mytinger said the city has 170 seniors who belong to the senior center, although not all come to every activity. The current space on State Route 43 holds a fraction of that many, he said.

Some community events, such as the Daddy/Daughter Dance, have to be held outside the city because no place in town is large enough, he said.

Councilman Mike Lampa said he liked that the new plan adds a third room and almost 1,000-square-feet.

"It makes having a wedding a place to go in Streetsboro, rather than having to go out of town," Lampa said.

Council members also expressed interest in making the new space more elaborate, adding features such as a fireplace that residents may not have at home. Mytinger said those issues can be addressed during the planning phase of the project.

"This is definitely going to have an impact on our community as a whole," Councilwoman Julie Field said.

Last year, Streetsboro had envisioned a "City Complex" which was to include a new city hall, a field house and splash pad near the new fire station on Route 43, where the former city hall was located. But since then, the city decided to move the community center to the City Park property off Kirby Lane.

The parks department, including the senior center, have been housed from a building on State Route 43 since 2018, where the department moved when the old city building was demolished. The department is now moving to a temporary space at the Streetsboro schools annex until the community center is built.

The department expects to open its office, which consists of two classrooms in a former school building at 1951 Annalane Drive, on Monday. Mayor Glenn Broska said the parks will be able to use other spaces in the former school, such as the gymnasium, as long as those spaces aren't already reserved.

Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at 330-298-1139 or dsmith@recordpub.com.

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Price of expanded Streetsboro community center to top $3 million