SHAWANO, WI – The newly renovated Shawano Rec Center is continuing to move toward a planned mid-August reopening, with city officials previewing several new features aimed at making the facility more welcoming, accessible, and community focused.
Parks and Recreation Director Matt Hendricks says the project is about much more than simply updating the building’s appearance. He says the renovated facility is designed to become a year-round gathering place for residents of all ages.
“Our whole mission is to get people out there being healthy, being active,” Hendricks said. “Not only do we have a great park system to do that, but the recreation center is one of the pillars of that, especially in Wisconsin with the winter months.”
Hendricks says one of the biggest focuses of the renovation is improving opportunities for social connection and community use. The updated facility will feature a computer lab, classroom space, pool viewing areas, and a large multi-purpose room designed to serve as a comfortable gathering space.
“The new facility is going to have a computer lab, it’s going to have viewing areas of the pool, it’ll have a classroom,” Hendricks said. “It’ll have a large multi-purpose area.”
According to Hendricks, the multi-purpose room is intended to feel more like a living room setting, complete with communal seating, workstations, and even a double-sided fireplace. He says the city hopes the space can be used by nonprofits, small groups, businesses, and residents looking for a welcoming place to gather.
“And so the piece of social connection is really where we’re most excited about what the new facility will offer,” Hendricks said.
The renovation also includes extensive upgrades to existing areas of the building. Hendricks says the locker rooms were completely gutted and rebuilt to improve accessibility and privacy, including the addition of individual shower stalls and a third locker room specifically designed for families, caregivers, and people with disabilities.
Even though some parts of the original building remain, Hendricks says nearly every area will look and feel significantly different once construction is complete.
The project is also incorporating pieces of the old rec center into the new design through a large recycling and repurposing effort. Hendricks says wood from the former racquetball courts was salvaged and reused throughout the facility.
“A lot of the wood from the racquetball courts, the old ones, was salvaged and saved,” Hendricks said.
The reclaimed wood will now appear in the multi-purpose room, hallways, decorative wall features, and even the front desk area. Hendricks says city staff helped build portions of the new front desk using the recycled materials, helping reduce overall project costs.
“The front desk, for example, in the original bid was about 56-thousand dollars,” Hendricks said. “We’re not done building it yet, but I’m projecting our current cost to be 10-thousand dollars.”
Hendricks says the cost savings created by city staff handling some of the construction work allowed the department to reinvest money into other improvements throughout the facility.
As construction continues, Hendricks says weekly meetings with contractors and engineers show the project remains on pace for its targeted mid-August reopening date.
Comments