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By David Slone, Times-Union staff writer
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Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
The gym in the Syracuse Community Center is a little more than a full-sized basketball court. During the morning, the gym will be open for walkers.
SYRACUSE - Completion of the Syracuse Community Center is fast approaching.
By April 15, the building should be completed. By mid-May, the site work is scheduled to be finished.
The target date for the grand opening is June 15, according to Syracuse Parks and Recreation Superintendent Mike Hixenbaugh.
There's less than 30 percent of the work left to be completed, he said.
The center features three distinct units.
First is the gym.
The space dedicated to the gym is a "little more than a full-size court," Hixenbaugh said. Once the gym is open to the public, a walking program will take place in the gym in the morning.
One of the three main entrances into the building is through the gym. Another is on the south side for the senior citizens' unit of the community center and on the east side for the main lobby.
The main lobby is where the information desk is as well as where Hixenbaugh's office is located.
Twelve hundred square feet is dedicated for the museum. A couple of rooms of various sizes will be used for storage.
The main kitchen will have a refrigerator, freezer, stove, sinks and lots of cabinets for storage. "You can see how this will be perfect for a cooking class," said Hixenbaugh.
Other rooms in the building will include a large meeting room, where the nutrition site can be held. There's a computer room where classes can be conducted.
Senior citizens in the community can take advantage of the senior area ,which also will include an office, a lobby and a fitness/wellness area.
"There'll be - hopefully - some bikes, treadmills" and other exercise equipment, Hixenbaugh said. Health and fitness classes and checks also can be held there.
Arts and crafts will get their own specialized room where Hixenbaugh said they hope to eventually have a kiln for pottery.
There will be plenty of restrooms in each part of the center.
The third "unit" of the center is Celebration Hall. The hall has its own unisex bathroom and a kitchenette. The patio will wrap around Celebration Hall.
"It's a more formal room with a great view of the lake and park," he said, and the room features special lighting, making a nice place for formal gatherings.
Separate from the building itself is a maintenance garage that can accommodate three vehicles.
Parking should not be a problem as there will be room for 200 parking spots around the center. "We're very close to doubling the old lot" that was here, Hixenbaugh said.
The Syracuse Community Center is across from Lakeside Park. There are 16,350 total square feet, and the architect is Prince Alexander Architects Inc, Indianapolis. Total cost is estimated at $1.85 million. Construction began Aug. 6.
Though the town has the money to pay for the building, Hixenbaugh said they are continuing their fund-raising to pay for equipment and supplies.
Also, to minimize the cost of operating expenses, Hixenbaugh said, the park department is looking to partner with other Kosciusko/Elkhart county agencies and organizations to bring programs to the community center.
He said, "We're working hard at coming up with programs for people of all ages."
The park's program goals for the summer include the walking program, wellness/health programs through area hospitals, computer classes, aerobics, dance, art, summer day camp, girls' volleyball and adult leagues. There also will be special events for holidays.
A waiting list has begun for renting rooms in the community center. Fees have yet to be determined and are expected to be fixed within the next month or two.
To contact Hixenbaugh about making a donation, renting a room or getting information on a program, call 457-3440.
