Does Circleville need a Community Center?

Last week at three public meetings led by Circleville City Planner Hannah Wynne, the following needs/ideas were brought forward by members of the public:

• Community Center

• Teen Center and/or study rooms

• Physical and mental health wellness services

• Art and other recreational classes

• Outdoor Pool

• Senior Center

Mayor Michelle Blanton has started a new program of public meetings under the name “Community Planning Meetings” that will cover many topics in the coming months. This program is an outreach to the residents of Circleville who are invited to attend meetings and discuss various topics relating to improving life in our city. These meetings will be conducted at various locations in different parts of the city. Last week there were three meetings concerning ideas for a community center.

To keep track of upcoming meetings on this and other topics, visit the Community Calendar part of the City’s website (circlevilleoh.gov). The City’s Facebook page (City of Circleville) is also an excellent site for following what is happening.

Additionally, the City has created a newsletter called “The Circleville Loop” which can be found on the City’s Facebook page.

If a new facility is to be built, many ideas for its location were provided. The City owns 20 acres just south of Barthelmas Park, and there will be a new walking/bike path from Ohio Avenue to Barthelmas soon. There will be an at-grade crossing with flashing lights to help pedestrians and bikers cross Kingston Pike. That project has been funded by a grant and is in the process of being built. When completed, the pathway to the park will be a big boost for residents in south Circleville.

Other potential locations for a new community center were suggested. Wynne invited attendees to view a large map of the city and place sticky notes on other possible locations. There is a large tract of land just north of Ollie’s that was said to currently be for sale. If an outdoor pool were to be located there, it would increase the prospects for the development of a new housing development.

The fact that there is existing parking at the Ollie’s location is a huge plus since any other location would require land for parking as part of the construction cost. The new housing development at this location would provide tax revenue to cover the operating costs.

The various ways of raising money to fund the initial construction costs were discussed. It was noted that Rotary had in the past promised to raise money for a pool at Ermine Park, but that plan was never finished. Nevertheless, private donations for such a project organized under the Pickaway County Community Fund (PCCF) is one option. PCCF does not necessarily have funds on its own to donate to such a project, but they are organized as a 501c3 and could handle donations dedicated to a community project. Other options for funding would be a government grant or a tax levy to cover the construction cost of a new facility.

In 2017, Circleville residents passed the parks levy by a vote of 65% to 35% which helped build Mary Virginia Crites Hannan Park. That levy will come up for renewal in 2026. But would the voters pass an additional levy to fund a new community center?

The Atwater School site was also mentioned. It is 30,000 square feet on 2.5 acres with an additional two acres to the north. It is privately owned, so negotiations would be required for the City to acquire this property. But even if the acquisition cost is acceptable, the possibility of dealing with the removal of asbestos (if there is any) must be addressed.

The old GE site was mentioned because it is an existing structure and that would reduce the cost of construction of a new YMCA or Community Center at that site. The YMCA organization requires a 7-to-14-acre site for a new location if it is being built from the ground up.

One of the most recently built YMCA locations is in Reynoldsburg, where a 75,000 SF facility was built for $45 million. The existing Pickaway YMCA is 55,000 square feet on a 5-acre tract.

Many attendees were concerned about building new facilities like a YMCA or Senior Center when there is already one in place. The need to appreciate what Circleville already has was discussed. If there will only be marginal improvement, then would this type of plan make sense economically?

Still, it was noted that the current Senior Center serves a great number of meals for its members, and the need is growing. Would this provide a reason for the construction of a new Senior Center?

With only 5 acres of land, a major expansion at the current location of the Pickaway YMCA seems unlikely. But it was suggested that the addition of an outdoor pool on the east side and adjacent to the current indoor pool could be a possibility, and much less expensive than a new YMCA built from the ground up.

The discussions surrounding the need for a Teen Center were based on the need to provide more activities for Circleville youth. But the attendees were not sure what activities today’s youth would want. Attendees were not sure that today’s teens would like ping-pong, billiards or bowling, activities that they enjoyed in their youth. The need for study rooms was mentioned.

The need for additional public meeting rooms was also mentioned. Credit was given to the Pickaway Library for their meeting rooms which are a great asset to the community. But it was said that because they are so frequently used, there is a need for more.

Additional comments or suggestions are welcomed by City Planner Hannah Wynne. She can be contacted by email at hwynne@circlevilloh.gov.