Upgrades now focus for Woodlot building

An architect will be hired to determine if the Community Center is worth renovating.

By: Joseph Harvie
   The Township Council plans to hire an architect to determine if the Community Center in Woodlot Park is worth renovating.
   The township is reviewing its options regarding the facility because recreation officials and council members agree that the current building, which was built in 1978 and has not been updated in more than 20 years, is inadequate.
   During the summer, the recreation officials said the Community Center is underutilized because it lacks air conditioning and adequate space for programs. They also said more office space is needed.
   The council set aside $1 million in July for renovations or expansion and officials from the township Department of Recreation and Community Affairs have been reviewing other sites. They have spent the last several months visiting four communities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania — West Deptford, Woodbridge and Montgomery in New Jersey and Greater Plymouth in Pennsylvania — that either have built new or renovated existing recreation or community centers in the last few years.
   Township Recreation Director Tom Morris and Recreation Supervisor Bonnie Bruccoleri presented their findings to the council on Tuesday. They said the facilities ranged in price from $20 million for the Riverwinds facility in West Deptford in Gloucester County, which includes aquatic and fitness centers, a multipurpose gym and an elevated track, to the $2.38 million Montgomery Community Center, which is housed in a converted warehouse on Skillman Road and also houses the township’s senior center.
   The West Deptford facility, which opened in 2002, contains an aquatic center with a young children’s area, a water slide and a pool used for swim meets. It also contains a large multipurpose gym area, an elevated track above the gym area, a fitness center and a large entrance area.
   The facility was paid for via a pollution settlement with oil companies. The companies had spilled oil into the Delaware River and were required to make contributions to area communities that were affected. In addition, Mr. Morris said the facility is supported by membership from residents which is $350 a family annually.
   The 40,000-square-foot Woodbridge Community Center was built for $12 million. Most of the money came from the state because it was built on a cleaned up brownfield site.
   The Woodbridge center opened in 2003 and includes indoor ice and roller hockey rinks, a fitness facility and a multipurpose gym. It also has an aquatic center with an Olympic-size swimming pool, Mr. Morris said. He said it is jointly run by the township and the local YMCA.
   The Greater Plymouth, Pa., facility was built in 2002 for $10 million and is about 76,000 square feet for a population of about 16,000 people. The facility is a converted school building and contains a fitness center and a gym with a full basketball court that can be broken down into four areas so activities such as volleyball, half court basketball and aerobics can be conducted at the same time.
   Mr. Morris said the money was donated because it was built near an old landfill.
   The Montgomery center is about 16,500 square feet and includes a half-basketball court, a dance room, program room, offices, and conference and meeting rooms. It was converted from a warehouse and cost about $2.68 million.
   Council members said they did not think the township could pay $20 million for a new community center and that the township should determine if something can be done with the existing building.
   Mayor Frank Gambatese said the township would have to use some of the $1 million set aside in July to study the building to determine what types of renovations might be feasible.
   Mr. Morris said the study should be conducted by an architect who would be asked to review the building and a 1991 study that was done on the facility.
   Councilman Charles Carley said the report was done but no action was taken by the then-Township Committee. He said the new study would look at how the building could be renovated to include areas for classrooms and the township-run Food Pantry. He also said it would see if adding items such as office space, air conditioning and a second level to the building would be feasible.