Former Recreation Hall Gets New Lease On Life

Photo by Teresa Smith, Times-Union

WINONA LAKE - The former girl's camp recreation hall and town hall has become a reception hall for community get togethers, a facility for park department programs and is scheduled to become a busy senior citizens center.

Built in 1913 along the east shore of Winona Lake, the community center was rehabilitated during the winter and spring. It became available for lease in June.

Owned by the town since 1978, the building served as the town hall for many years. The current town hall is at the eastern edge of the park.

On a recent tour of the building, town clerk Retha Hicks expressed mixed emotions about her old office, just to the right of the main entrance.

"It was small then and its considerably smaller now," she said.

A handicapped-accessible privacy stall and showers have been installed in the women's restroom, cutting out the former clerk's office space.

Besides the building itself, two built-in attractions of the senior center is the lake and park.

Every window, and there are many, offers a view.

At the building's center is the great room, with seating for 150. A small stage, wired for sound equipment, occupies the north end of the room.

Four interior double windows were removed when ramps were installed. Six of the original nine-pane windows remain, three to each side of the double doors.

Town coordinator Craig Allebach demonstrated a unique feature of the windows - they all slide up into the walls, which creates a huge entryway into the great room.

A screened-in porch runs along the west side of the building. An exterior ramp on the south (playground and public beach) side of the building leads to a huge deck.

The fully-equipped kitchen has a separate entrance for service to the park, and a service window to the screened-in porch.

Around the perimeter of the building are several smaller rooms.

Parks department offices and storage are on the south side.

Other designated rooms are labeled for computers, games and exercise. The craft room has a sink for clean up and lockers for storage. Right now, the rooms are relatively bare.

The state's freeze of Build Indiana Funds put a halt to computer and equipment purchases. Kosciusko County Foundation provided $5,000 for wiring, which has been installed.

The westside ramps allow walkers to follow a circular track through the building.

The parks department used the building for many activities this summer.

"It was great to see the kids on the screened-in porch and other rooms doing crafts and other things," Allebach said. "They even used the kitchen for cooking classes."

Except rental events, the building has not yet met its potential.

If a group of seniors decide to organize, the building is available.

"It would be nice to have a senior club here to use the building," Hicks said.

Jack Felger, executive director of the Kosciusko County Council on Aging and Aged, and Warsaw Senior Activities Center activity director April Baxter recently toured the facility this week.

"It's a beautiful well-equipped building," Felger said.

Like most not-for-profit organizations, the county's council on aging and aged operates at a break-even point and doesn't have funds to start up a Winona Lake group.

"We are planning to make the building a nutrition site for noon meals," Felger said, "and we're willing and able to provide folks age 60 and over free transportation there, to our facility or to any medical facility."

The director said informational evening meetings and meals could be organized through the local council.

"We told Craig if there was any way we can assist, we'll be glad to do it."

The building has undergone extensive renovation at a cost of about $100,000 more than originally planned. Total cost of the project was $313,617.84.

The building was re-sided, the fireplace rebuilt and new utilities, including air conditioning, were installed.

"The west side of the building was always at a slant," Allebach said. "It was off from 1 to 4 inches the entire length of the building."

Contractors got more than they bargained for when the old flooring was torn up.

The great room sits on its own completely sealed foundation and is surrounded by another foundation.

The ground under the great room hasn't dried out yet and the new subfloor has drawn up moisture, causing the newly laid tile to ripple.

Allebach said the problem will be addressed, maybe by installing a ventilation system or putting openings in the interior foundation.

The contractor is responsible for taking care of the problem.

Rentals of the facility are scheduled through the clerk's office.

Rates are: Monday through Thursday, $70 a day plus $20 for the kitchen and a $75.00 damage deposit; Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays, rentals are $100 a day plus a damage deposit and $25 for use of the kitchen.

Non-profit organizations receive discounts.