It was built in 1975 and used to hold events such as weddings and city council meetings. McDonald said she wants to renovate the building and have it become the heart of the community.
“We hope to bring our seniors and our young people back to the center,” McDonald said. “We want to have activities and promote health.”
The building is adjacent to a park, which features trails and a lake. Darra Ragland, 50, who lives near the area, said renovating the community center would help children become more active.
“We need more places like this for our kids to go to,” she said. “They really need to get out of the house more.”
The funding will pay for repairs that need to be done inside and outside of the building, McDonald said. The roof will be replaced and mechanical systems will be updated. Officials said the state money will be enough to reopen the center. They will partner with Lowe’s and Home Depot to complete the renovations.
Once the work is complete, City Council will relocate meetings back to the Trotwood Community Center. Currently, their meetings are held at Trotwood-Madison City Schools Board of Education Meeting Chambers on 3594 Snyder Road.
The community center also has several offices spaces. The city wants to use them to provide more outlets for the residents.
“We hope to locate a state agency within this building because we really believe it can do more in servicing our community,” McDonald said.
Residents will be able to lease office space by contacting the city. The final decision regarding the state funding for the renovations will be voted on in May, McDonald said.
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