Community Center

Stone Harbor Council approves concept of community center
By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
Press of Atlantic City
Published: Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Updated: Wednesday, June 21, 2006

STONE HARBOR — Borough Council on Tuesday backed the concept of a 12,000 square-foot community center.

The vote does not approve a community center or authorize funding, said Councilwoman Anne Wannen, chair of the Beach and Recreation Committee.

Wannen said the committee wanted to know whether council wanted it to proceed with the work.

“This is moving forward with just the concept,” Wannen said before Tuesday's meeting. “A recreation center or community center has been talked about and talked about to death. We either move forward or we don't.”

The borough's Recreation Advisory Committee provided preliminary renderings of a community center and estimated how much it would cost to build and maintain. It also listed activities from basketball to bingo and possible revenue the center could raise.

Wannen said there are several borough-owned properties being eyed for possible sale that would finance the $2.4 million center on 80th Street.

A new community center has remained a hot topic in Stone Harbor.

Last year, talk of a new recreation center sparked two petitions: One supported selling borough-owned land to buy a building, and the other petition opposed that.

Last year, Stone Harbor considered selling an L-shaped parcel with a $3 million starting price to buy land to expand its public works yard, but later quashed the idea.

One petition from last year asked Borough Council to sell that land for the recreation center.

The 12,000-foot recreation center preliminary plan includes an indoor basketball court, fitness center, space for billiards and Ping Pong tables, a kitchen, game room and an arts and crafts room.

To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:
BIanieri@pressofac.com