POA considers new community center
Although it’s still in the planning stages, ideas are being gathered for a new POA community center to replace Riordan Hall. Last week, about 130 members took part in two meetings about the plan.
“We want to talk to everyone,” general manager Tom Judson said at an early morning meeting last week. Although the 2018 budget included funds to hire an architect for a preliminary design, the center hasn’t yet been approved by the board, he warned. He explained that the board wanted the preliminary plans in place before approaching the entire membership about a new center.
It began with a short amenities survey that went out in February. The Community Involvement Committee asked for a survey, Judson told his audience. Then a steering committee was formed with staff and board members. Next came the focus groups made up of members of the Recreation Committee and the Community Involvement Committee. Care was taken to ensure representation from various groups, including single adults, retirees and young families.
At workshops last spring, the committee, with the help of the focus group, began defining space needs. Architectural firm Hastings & Chivetta was hired to help.
Chris Chivetta presented his ideas at the two open meetings. So far, his plan is for a building about 36,000 square feet in size to be built right in front of Kingsdale pools. The new building would replace the existing bathhouse, but the pools would remain.
Inside, there’s a new indoor
pool with a whirlpool, a lazy river and a climbing wall. A tube slide actually goes outside the building and then back in to deposit children in the pool. The indoor and outdoor pools would share locker rooms.
There is also an indoor walking track, a fitness center and a gymnasium with a retractable stage that could be used for a theater production. There’s space for child care, meeting rooms and a catering kitchen. The gymnasium could be lined for both basketball and pickleball, although it’s not a full-size basketball court.
“I call it middle-school sized,” Chivetta said about the gymnasium. When set up as a theater, it will hold 360 people or about 140 when set up as a banquet room.
Because they are looking for a true community center with space for socializing, a coffee or juice bar is included, Chivetta said, and there’s more lobby space with comfortable seating. The building is two stories with an elevator. The lower level will house the gym and fitness center, along with an aerobics room. There’s also patio space so events can move outside in nice weather.
Judson said he believes the outdoor pools will require some work, but they will be usable for several years. He thinks they may have to redo some pipes and motor systems to keep them up to date. The pools and Riordan Hall should be able to remain open until work is complete on the new building.
After that, Judson said, Riordan may be torn down, but no final decision has been made on the building’s fate.
Once the trail system is complete, the new community center could also be a trailhead and trail users could be able to access the building and possibly the showers, Chivetta said.
At both meetings, participants had the chance to join breakout groups where they could offer their own suggestions.
Jen Knoke, a member of the original focus groups, ran one of the breakout groups and reported that she heard mostly positive comments. The one complaint she heard the most was that the building would be too small.
Even grandparents are interested in childcare, she pointed out. Many Bella Vista grandparents take care of grandchildren during the day, but they would also be interested in working out if the right childcare option was available.
She also heard from trail users who wanted reassurance that trails would be incorporated into the plan.
Another survey was sent out after the second community meeting to get even more input from POA members. More information about the center can be found at: bellavistapoa. com/2018/07/23/bellavista-community-center.