Florence adds public meetings for multigenerational center

Florence is holding two more open houses to allow the public to have its say about the town's proposed Multigenerational Center.

The new open houses are at  3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Thursday, March 28 at Fire Station #2 located at 2035 N. Hunt Highway.

It's one final opportunity town residents to share their thoughts on the recreational amenities, community spaces, and exterior elements they would  like in the facility.

The town is asking residents to provide their input on  "prioritizing the recreational amenities, community spaces and exterior elements" they would like to see in the center.

The center is expected to have intergenerational activities, senior services, dedicated spaces for teens and out-of-school programming, a large gym space for fitness equipment and fitness classes, a large recreational space for youth and adult sports, as well as special-interest classes, public rental spaces, classrooms and an outdoor recreational space.

At its Jan. 2 meeting, the Florence Town Council unanimously  voted  to approve a professional services agreement with Architekton for the multigenerational center predesign phase in an amount not to exceed $438,900.

Using the Casa Grande Recreational Center as a model, town staff has calculated that the Florence multigenerational center will  cost about  $30 million just for the facility, according to the minutes of the Dec. 11 Florence council work session.