Community center to get $13K in safety upgrades

JUPITER — With more than 500 children taking over the Jupiter Community Center this summer for camp and the building’s regular use for recreational activities, Police Chief Frank Kitzerow is looking to update its safety features.

Kitzerow and Kristin George, Jupiter’s director of recreation, had a safety survey done to identify existing security risks to the staff and public. The main findings showed it’s too easy to gain access to the building, which increases concern for potential terrorist attacks, according to the survey submitted to the council.

On June 5, the Jupiter Town Council unanimously voted to approve Kitzerow’s request for $13,084 from the State Forfeiture Fund that will be used for new safety equipment such as locks and an intercom system.

Part of the proposed plan is to get additional panic-push bars, which make it easier to get out of a building quickly.

Other doors in the building will get electromagnetic locks that have a control system where the doors can be locked remotely.

These new locks make it easier to lock down the building quickly in case of an emergency as well as limit the amount of doors that are open to the public regularly.

There also are plans to get a two-way intercom that staff can use to communicate with the outside during a lock-down situation.

For more of a daily use, the center wants stanchion posts with retractable barriers and portable signs to help control the flow of people on busy camp mornings and during programs.

The 65,000-square-foot community center was built in 2002. It has a full gym, classrooms, multipurpose room and a banquet room. The center hosts activities such as movie matinees, painting sessions, breakfast bingo and coffee talk.