When the doors to the Greenwood Community Center open back up in January after nine months of major renovations, the facility will be unrecognizable.
Inside the front entrance, a Lucky Climber structure for kids loops around a staircase to the second floor. Members wanting to work out on a variety of machines will be able to do so now on the first floor. On the south side of the building, an outdoor musical play area has been set up with piano keys laid in the ground and music tubes for kids to create melodies with.
Everything about the community center will be different, Greenwood parks and recreation director Rob Taggart said.
“I can’t narrow it down to one thing,” he said.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryIndoor and outdoor play areas for kids, expanded hours and added programs are some of the many changes that have been, creating a much more efficient use of the community center’s space, Taggart said. By re-arranging the community center, the city is able to get more out of it without having to expand the facility, he said.
The $2.3 million renovation project began in April, and the center has been closed to the public since then, with some classes, camps and programs at offsite locations.
In the final weeks of the closing, workers were busy painting walls, putting new rims on basketball backboards, moving equipment back into place and installing new carpet. With major work complete, all that remained was the finishing touches, Taggart said.
Some of the biggest changes are geared toward children.
The play area for children — called Kid City — includes a range of activities for kids of all ages. The centerpiece is the Lucky Climber, an enclosed climbing structure which goes around the stairway to the second floor.
For toddlers and younger children, the second floor with have a space for art and imagination with buckets of art supplies, as well as a pretend grocery store and kitchen, Taggart said.
The teen area will include plenty of outlets to charge phones and tablets, several TVs, a green screen, an overhead projector and a giant Lite-Brite screen, he said.
One benefit of the re-arranged space is that the center can add at least seven new classes for kids and adults, Taggart said. Additional classes will include Kangoo Jumps, Tai Chi aerobics, Turbo Kick, women’s self defense, kids Zumba, wellness and ballroom dancing.
The goal is to provide activities that might not be available elsewhere in the community, Taggart said.
The city is also considering changes to how it manages program instructors. Previously, they were considered contractors, and the city took a 20 percent cut of the revenue from programs at the community center.
Now, they will be considered employees, and will be paid $40 an hour. Program instructors typically only work several hours a week, Taggart said.
With expanded hours, the gym portion of the facility, which includes the exercise area and basketball courts, will be open until 10 p.m. on weekdays, compared to 7 and 8 p.m. before. The community center will also be open year-round on Sundays. Previously it was closed on Sundays during summer months.
Members will also be given a key to access the gym through a door on the east side without needing to check in at a front desk.
The cost of membership won’t change. A family of five with two adults and three kids under the age of 16 would still pay $350 for an annual membership. Discounts will now be available to current military service members and veterans, who would be able to pay the same rate as the senior discount.
Members will receive free extensions to make up for the time missed due to renovations, Taggart said.
