SYRACUSE - "I see this as a place where the community will get together more," said Syracuse Park Superintendent Mike Hixenbaugh about the planned community center.

As early as December 2001, the community center could be ready for all residents of Syracuse and the surrounding area to enjoy. It's planned to be approximately 15,524 square feet and will sit on approximately 3.8 acres of donated property.

Planning for the facility has been going on for a number of years. It's changed in shape and size, but, Hixenbaugh said, "Now we're at the point where we reduced it and it's more of a realistic size facility for the town of Syracuse."

The center board hit a milestone recently when it reached the number of pledged dollars it needed to apply for the Community Focus Fund grant. The $200,000 was raised by the deadline of Sept. 8.

"We just applied for the CCF grant so we met our first goal, one of our early goals, so basically, fund-raising is going to continue," Hixenbaugh said.

Anyone interested in helping raise funds or helping with the community center can contact Hixenbaugh at the park department at 457-3440 or e-mail him at [email protected]

Other money that has been or will be raised includes: a Build Indiana Fund grant for $200,000, $10,000 in pledges collected and bonds in the amount of $300,000. The CCF grant the town is applying for is for $450,000.

"(Applying for the grant)," said Hixenbaugh, "is a huge step for us." The grant will be awarded in November.

He said he also plans to apply for several grants and donations from foundations and grant-makers.

Celebration Hall is at the front of the building by the lake, which provides a place for receptions, and for nice evenings there's a patio, Hixenbaugh said.

The main entrance is to the side of the patio.

There's a separate entrance for the senior section on the south side of the building. "It's going to have an arts and crafts room, activity room, computer room, a wellness office, where we're going to have blood pressure checks, foot care. Seniors will have a lounge and their own office," said Hixenbaugh.

A couple of meeting rooms will provide an area where the seniors can have dinner, and a kitchen is just across the hall.

To the front, there's two office spaces, one for the park superintendent. A control room by the full-court gymnasium will be the main supervision of the building at times and where basketballs and other supplies can be checked out.

A maintenance area with two or three stalls will be at the back of the building.

Many activities are planned for the facility.

"We're going to have leagues, adult leagues: basketball, volleyball, coed, boys, girls, men's, women's; computer classes, that kind of thing. We'll have summer day camp, the type where you can go on field trips and have activities at the park and then go here," said Hixenbaugh. "Dance classes, high school and middle school dances. I'm hoping that maybe they'll want to use it for prom activities. Midnight basketball, which is something I want to do. ... A place to have indoor ultimate frisbee."

He said he sees the museum part of the center as an apex for cultural activities where they can have art exhibits, sculptures and ceramics.

Another idea, he said, is for the community center to show classic movies, have card tournaments and ballroom dancing. With the kitchen, they can even have cooking classes.

"That's just a rough idea of the activities (we can have)," he said. All groups of all ages will be encouraged to use the center.

Research conducted by the park board has found that an overwhelming majority of people in Syracuse and the surrounding area are in favor of a community center, Hixenbaugh said.

"Anyone who can see the picture can tell it's going to be a gorgeous building for this community," said Hixenbaugh. "I think it will really be a landmark when it's finished. You'll be able to see it from the lake. You'll be able to see the lighthouse from most parts of Syracuse Lake, probably also from Ind. 13. This is definitely a historic situation for the town of Syracuse." [[In-content Ad]]