Is Veterans Field A Good Location for A Community Center In New London?

Earlier this week, New London City Council passed a resolution to move forward a proposal to create a Community/Recreation Center that would serve all city residents. 

Councilman Adam Sprecace described the resolution as a "necessary step to get some information don't have right now." And with that in mind, the council voted to pass it so the city can continue with the planning process. Judging by the number of people who came out to speak at the meeting, however, there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. 

If there's one thing everyone seems able to agree on, it's that they support a proposal to create a community/recreation center to serve all New London residents with indoor amenities such as a swimming pool, and programs for everyone from seniors to teens. The biggest area of disagreement is the suggested location. They just don't think Veterans' Field is the best place to put it. 

The idea for a Community Center has been percolating for about three years, with Council President Michael Passero as one of the driving forces behind it. The New London Community Center Planning Collaborative has been meeting with various segments of the community, from seniors to teens, and holding public hearings to gather input.

The group has also worked with consultants to assess viable potential locations for the proposed 50,000 square foot community center and, because it requires a relatively level 5 to 10 acre lot to ensure enough parking, Veterans Field was picked as the best location. As most people favor making the building energy efficient, new construction was recommended as being more cost effective than repurposing an existing building.  

The Community Center Planning Collaborative also met with potential partners for what is ultimately intended to be a public/private partnership in hopes of building the community center at no cost to taxpayers of New London. While a number of organizations stepped forward, including the Boys and Girls Club, the YMCA was the most serious of all the interested parties. 

The biggest concern raised at the meeting, by far, was the suggested location. Many people pointed out that the city doesn't have enough playing fields as it is, and so losing Veterans Field would exacerbate the problem. Others, including City Councilwoman Marie Friess-McSparran, noted that when New London School District took over Veterans Field for school use, an agreement was put in place stipulating that the fields would be restored to their original condition and returned to the city for use as playing fields. Whether this preexisting agreement preclude the city from building on the site is a question that needs to be answered. 

Other town residents questioned whether the YMCA was a good choice as a partner, given that it pulled out of the city a few years ago. They also expressed doubts that a facility run by the YMCA would be accessible and affordable for all residents who might want to become members. Even though the YMCA has sliding scale fees and sponsorships, the cost for membership would be $47 a month for an individual, $75 for a family.  

The YMCA, however, does have the support of the City's Economic Development Commission.

"We welcome the YMCA as a partner with the professional management expertise required for this kind of facility," said Economic Development Commission Chairman Frank McLaughlin. "We believe the Community Center will enhance the livability of our city and encourage prospective residents to consider living here. Over the last three years, a lot of thought and study provided by many experts make the Community Center worthy of final study and implementation." 

With the passage of the resolution, that can now happen but, as Councilman Anthony Nolan noted, "There are a lot of questions to be answered. I hope to have additional forums. It is not too late to talk about it."