The first of two public meetings to discuss a new community recreation center for the Fairbanks North Star Borough is tonight. The open house will take ideas for how people might use a building for public swimming, field games and social space.
Parks and Recreation director Donnie Hayes says right now, the idea is on paper only.
“Like the very first step in a very long process.”
In 2019, the FNSB Assembly approved scoping money for a feasibility study to add onto the Big Dipper Ice Arena on Cowles Street. Now, some private contributions have been added. The study will look at constructing a year round, multi-use recreation center.
Hayes says there is a lot of public input required.
“ And so we really want to ask the question, what is it that we're missing and how could we make this facility something that the community would want and be proud of?”
Hayes says it will likely take many years to build a new rec center, and construction will probably be constructed in phases. More information is on the study's website: North Star Community Recreation Center FAQs. Another meeting will be March 25.
“But what the community needs to understand is that this point, there are no funds to build this building. That the assembly hasn't approved a funding source or a funding mechanism to build this. Right now, it's just the initial steps of what could this look like? Is the community interested in, in it? And if so, how could we accomplish it for the future?”
Tonight’s meeting is both in person and online. The open house is at the Carlson Center from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. tonight. It is also on Zoom at this link: https://bit.ly/3JNTR4f
Meeting ID: 878 8962 8537 Passcode: 559948