Future plans were a major part of the Emporia Recreation Commission’s meeting slate Tuesday.
Board members discussed possible plans for additional parking at the DeBauge Sports Complex near the end of the meeting. Prior plans may well have to get adjusted, according to Board Chair Jeremy Dorsey.
Meanwhile, Dorsey is pleased with the reaction coming from the Rec Center Steering Committee’s pop-up meetings held last week at the Fairgrounds Anderson Building and at Emporia school open houses. He says reaction was positive for a new rec center, and it was also good to see a lot of community members realize this process is underway. The committee is looking to replace the Lee Beran Recreation Center because it is too small and too inefficient to handle future public recreation wants and needs from area residents. Monthly public meetings will continue through December. The goal is to have a final plan ready before Christmas ahead of a vote on a sales tax funding mechanism March 5.
The pop-up meetings were the latest public input effort towards rec center improvements — and the first since the Steering Committee chose its architecture and construction manager at risk partners in this venture.
The board also welcomed back a familiar face in Mike Helbert, a longtime board member, to fill the at-large position. Dorsey says Helbert stood out from a qualified field of candidates because of his familiarity with both the Rec Commission and the new rec center process, as well as his work as an attorney and his work with other boards.
