California residents asked for opinion on rec center
CALIFORNIA – Borough residents will have voice in deciding what they want in a proposed recreation and community center. Residents should soon receive a survey in the mail asking for their opinions about a center.
“Now it’s up to everyone to fill out the survey and let us know exactly what type of services should be offered at the center,” said Rep. Peter J. Daley (D-California).
Included in the survey are questions about whether a usage fee should be charge and whether residents outside the California area should be permitted to use the facility. Residents should expect to receive the survey sometime this week.
Daley and Mayor Galvie Gardner have joined a group of local residents in planning for a state-of-the-art facility to service the community’s needs.
Gardner said California needs a recreation center so a group of 14 people, including several borough council members, have been meeting every other Saturday at 8 a.m. in the California Municipal Building to discuss it. Gardner said the meetings are open to the public and everyone’s input is welcomed.
He said the group met with Harry Hall, project engineer, Saturday.
“We are moving ahead. Now we’re getting down to the nitty gritty,” Gardner said.
Gardner said the group is still brainstorming on what the facility will include, but have discussed a basketball court, swimming pool, exercise room, aerobics area and meeting rooms and possibly a library.
According to Gardner, the project has no official budget at this point but the group will seek federal and state money as well as local contributions.
“We are going to have (financial) limits. But it will be a nice building, something the community can be proud of.
“We want to make this a place where local organization can hold meetings, people can exercise inside and out and possibly even provide computer access,” Daley said. “The center can only be a success if everyone offers their visions and ideas for it.”