To The Editor:

While I am a member of the Newtown Community Center Commission, my letter is written as a town resident, a neighbor, and a friend.

On Tuesday, April 5th there will be a town referendum at the Middle School from 6 am to 8 pm where residents will be asked to vote on the construction of a brand new Community Center.

Located at Fairfield Hills, the center will have a construction budget of roughly $15 million. Approximately $10 million will come from a General Electric (GE) donation as a result of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook School. The remaining $5 million of the budget will be funded via the town's Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) - which will be bonded, along with other town projects, over 20 years. The CIP includes 40+ projects in a queue over the next five years that represent long-term planning for our town. If the Community Center was not included, another project in the queue would simply take its place. I believe this is good use of our long-term planning and investment dollars.

GE's generosity includes not only the $10 million to build something that doesn't currently exist in our community, but $5 million over five years to maintain/operate it.

Having a Community Center - available to everyone in town - has been a long-term desire. GE's do-nation can help us create a "hub" to bring our community closer and serve in some capacity to help our town heal.

While biased, I believe the Newtown Community Center Commission has done an admirable job soliciting feedback on what our center should be. That vision, an inclusive destination with a focus on bringing people together, is a good one that our Board of Selectman, Board of Finance and Legislative Council approved wholeheartedly:

A multi-generational hub complete with inside/outside common areas all residents will be able to en-joy free of charge;

Multi-purpose rooms with movable walls for diverse programming (with fees like the Park & Rec Pro-grams) - from brain health and wellness to arts and inter-generational learning;

Outside areas for socializing with friends over music or food and connected to the Fairfield Hills trails for walking, biking or running;

A 50-meter pool and zero-entry pool (think of walking into the water at the beach) for laps, aqua-therapy, relaxing, and year-round water activities.

The 50-meter pool will also serve as an "income engine" to help avoid depleting in 10-15 years the $5 million in operating funds from GE. This "income engine" can also stretch that $5 million so it can help with sliding program fees for those who need it most.

I look at the center as a seed which members of our community can help nurture and grow. It can be someplace where we as "friends yet to be" get to know each other and perhaps have a few smiles during those days when we need it most.

Please take 15 minutes on April 5th to "Vote Yes" for the construction of our Newtown Community Center. And encourage everyone you know to do the same.  Help plant the seed of something new.

Bill Buchler

39 Eden Hill Road, Newtown         March 29 2016