This report was updated at 9:15 am on March 11 linking the meeting minutes containing an updated community center presentation from Quisenberry Arcari Architects beginning on Page 7.

The most recently developed details about the town's new community center were presented in recent days to the Public Building & Site commission (February 28) and the Board of Selectmen (March 6) by Rusty Malik and Kevin McFarland of Quisenberry Arcari Architects, the firm charged with designing the facility. (see page 7 - 30 of selectmen's minutes)

Prior to the selectmen's presentation, and following it, several individuals came forward expressing concern to selectmen about the apparent diminished size of a planned aquatic center component. The presentation illustrated that the largest of two or three planned swimming pools was substantially smaller than a 50-meter lap pool recommended early on in the process.

Resident Susan Ludwig and former Community Center Advisory Committee member Kinga Walsh both expressed concerns that the aquatic component had shrunk to a proposed 25-yard lap pool with a half-dozen lanes or less, while the overall development cost had increased by about $150 per square foot beyond the cost estimates in the Community Center Advisory Committee's final report.

An April 5, 2016, referendum that was widely approved by voters authorized the community center to be built, and also authorized $5 million in bonding that would be added to a $10 million gift from General Electric to create the facility. Additional ballot information provided to voters ahead of and at the referendum, further stated that the "project anticipates a facility of some 43,000 square feet comprised of two main features, including at least 13,000 sq ft of flexible, programmable space for general community use and an aquatics component with two pools, a lap pool of up to 50 meters and a zero-entry pool."

Ms Ludwig suggested that selectmen consider permitting a "matching grant" initiative that would provide a six-month window for interested residents to donate additional funds to help increase both the size of a lap pool, and the space and infrastructure to support it in the proposed center.

"I think you need to ask yourselves, Are you truly doing what is best for the whole community? Are you spending this gift the way it was intended to be spent? Is this pool going to adequately serve generations moving forward? A pool this small will be set up for conflict from the get go," she told selectmen. "Give the people a chance to raise the additional funds needed at the very least. I believe this community center should be a legacy to the community and a place that honors those we lost."

Ms Walsh noted that since December of 2015, initial development cost estimates provided to her commission by town hired consultants were at $308 per square foot.

"The current estimate presented Monday, per the architects, stands at $459 [per square foot]'" she stated. "This discrepancy needs to be understood and rectified."

Ms Walsh also said she believes there is "apparent continued resident confusion on what is really being planned for inclusion in the community center versus what was voted on and approved in April 2016."

"Despite repeated requests from multiple Advisory Committee members that the downsizing of the 50-meter aquatics component option [in the summer of 2016] be clarified to residents, no clear, concise information has been communicated yet," Ms Walsh stated. "This confusion is being further exacerbated with the discussion/ballot initiative to add a Senior Center component to the community center. Clear messaging needs to be sent to residents to avoid further misconceptions."

Larger Pool Too Costly

However, during the March 6 meeting, and during previous stories on the community center that appeared in The Newtown Bee, Mrs Llodra and other officials confirmed that the maximum development budget of $14.55 million could neither accommodate the construction of a 50-meter pool, nor the space to house such a pool, without utilizing nearly the entire approved construction budget.

Voters at the upcoming April 25 budget referendum will be asked to authorize $3 million in bonding to develop and incorporate a new senior center, that would be attached to the community center, albeit with exclusive access and parking. If approved and developed as proposed, that senior center would have exclusive activity space, and would have a point of access for seniors to pass into the community center to utilize that facility if desired.

Following the March 6 meeting, Mrs Llodra said she heard the concerns articulated loud and clear and she is planning a full timeline presentation on the history of the community center development from the time the GE grant was announced in early 2013 up to the moment to clarify and define costs and any changes the development proposal experienced in process.

The approximately 45-minute presentation to local officials by Quisenberry Arcari detailed the site parameters and some of the underlying utility and tunnel infrastructure that would have to be addressed or relocated to complete the project on that proposed site. The presentation also offered pros and cons of three separate floor plan options, some images of how several of the common spaces might look, and three extremely preliminary renderings of what the exterior of the one-story facility might look like upon completion.

Additional conversation centered around the various possible aquatic configurations, with a couple of the proposals including a smaller third pool that Mr Malik said might include a variable height floor that could lower for adult activities, and rise to provide a minimal splash depth for young children to enjoy - but only if that feature was preferred and affordable within the proposed budget.

The presentation also outlined possible parking configurations that would eliminate direct adjacent parking to the Municipal Center in favor of several pod parking lots accessible from the roadway that runs southwest of the town offices that could hold about 110 vehicles. Mr Malik said this reconfiguring of parking would minimize any risk posed by vehicles backing directly into the access road from existing parking areas on that side of the Municipal Center.

Addressing Concerns

Addressing concerns expressed by residents about the diminished pool size and the possible incorporation of a senior center component, Mrs Llodra reminded residents that early on she directed designers to "make sure there is space to expand the senior center." She added that a senior component would be considered "if it was possible, but not required."

Turning her attention to the frustrations expressed over the smaller aquatic features, the first selectman said she "would have loved to bring a 50-meter pool forward, but the sheer cost to build it would exhaust our resources."

"We challenged consultant numbers, and no matter how hard we pushed, the commitment of resources was greater than the $4.5 million we had," Mrs Llodra said. "This was the harsh reality we had to confront. We had to step back."

Parks & Rec Director Amy Mangold also appeared briefly to reinforce that a survey completed with members of the recreation Department's Torpedoes swim team indicated that "we need more pool time."

Community Center Commission's poll determined that aquatic was one of the most wanted features," Ms Mangold said of the new center. "Not necessarily for competition, but to replace the aquatic feature lost at Dickinson Park."

"The

Mrs Llodra referenced the community center as "one of the most difficult projects the town has taken on," but also noted that "some are challenging whether we should even have aquatic [features]."

"I know there are many passionate aquatic supporters, but others saying 'don't you dare use funds to build aquatic features.' I think we have the project we have - the number is right," she said.

Selectman Herb Rosenthal reminded his colleagues that he had initially voted against authorizing the referendum vote, saying he was "against the process," which defined the budget before any design parameters were legitimately explored.

"How much more it would cost to have slightly larger pool space? We can add buildings, but once you have a pool, that's what you have," Mr Rosenthal said. "Should we go back to public for more senior, community, and aquatic space? We put a $15 million limit on ourselves."

Mrs Llodra replied that she would not be willing to go back and ask for more money.

"I think we should move forward with what we have," she said, adding an important reminder: "This is not a sports center, or a rec center, it's a community center with an aquatic component."

For more information see newtownbee.com/community-center and .newtownbee.com/a-balancing-act-for-community-center-advisory-committee