Opening of Hampton center on hold because of delays

Construction woes postpone debut of facility indefinitely

Hampton will have to wait a little longer to open its neighborhood center in Olde Hampton.

The Mary W. Jackson Neighborhood Center was slated to open this weekend but has been delayed indefinitely because of material shortages and shipping delays, according to the city.

The facility at 231 Lincoln St. will replace one in Olde Hampton that closed in 2015 and was later demolished.

The $4.2 million neighborhood center will feature a gym, kitchen, locker rooms, small meeting rooms and a large multipurpose room. Amenities outside include a fenced basketball court, shaded picnic area, fireplace and multipurpose field for events and sports.

The city hasn’t set a new opening date because of uncertainties about construction.

Unlike the community centers run by the city’s parks and recreation department, the neighborhood centers charge a $15 annual membership fee for anyone living more than 2 miles from the center. Though owned by the city, the centers are run by an advisory committee made up of neighborhood stakeholders and city facilitators.

The City Council voted in 2018 to name the center for Jackson, a pioneering mathematician who worked as an engineer for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Jackson, who lived in Olde Hampton and died in 2005, was one of the women who inspired the “Hidden Figures” novel, written by Margot Lee Shetterly, that was turned into a movie.

In a news releaseHampton said other construction projects in the city may be delayed as well. City spokesperson Robin McCormick said the $29.5 million Hampton VA Aquaplex has experienced construction delays, but it was unclear as of Thursday whether they would prevent the aquatics center from opening in next month.

The aquatics center, at the intersection of Coliseum Drive and Pine Chapel Road, will feature a 50-meter competition pool, 25-meter program pool and an outdoor “Splash-Down Park.”

Delays could also affect construction on the Fox Hill Neighborhood Center, according to McCormick. It was unclear how significant the impacts would be because no official opening date had been set for the neighborhood or aquatics center.