By James Day
The new Silverton Civic Center continues to take shape in the former Eugene Field School block. Less than half a mile away lies the Silverton Community Center, a multi-use, multi-tenanted facility owned by the Oregon Military Department with the city holding the lease.
So what happens to the community center when the city moves north and its council meetings are held at the new building?
Silverton Area Community Aid already has announced plans to move to the North First Street slot formerly occupied by Ratchet Brewery.
Silver Falls Family YMCA, which runs numerous programs at the community center, wants to stay and has offered to pick up the lease from the state. The Silverton Food Co-op, meanwhile, wants to establish its first permanent address by moving into SACA’s old digs in the basement and is happy to work with the city or the Y as the landlord.
Representatives of the Y and the Co-op were on hand to discuss the situation at the July 17 City Council work session. No decision was made, but there was plenty to discuss, including the age and maintenance needs of the building and the fact that the Y is seeking $30,000 from the city to assist with the maintenance issues.
“The council is split on whether that is a good idea or not,” said Mayor Jason Freilinger in an email exchange with Our Town after the work session.
“Some expressed a desire to not give over control of the building to someone else because they want to make sure the Food Co-Op and Jazzercise have a home. Others feel we need to just walk away and let the Oregon Military Department pick a new primary tenant. That could lead to a vacant building or Jazzercise and Food Co-op and maybe even YMCA not having a home. Others expressed that the idea of paying the YMCA to take over when we can just walk away doesn’t make sense either.
“For me, this all goes back to my comment about this being a bigger-picture issue. Should the city be in the business of assuming large risks on old buildings and subsidizing nonprofits that serve the public good but cannot make it on their own?”
The city’s lease with the state runs through March 31, 2024, according to the staff report for the meeting. The YMCA is proposing a three-year lease with an option to extend as it raises money and seeks a site to build a permanent facility.
The staff report noted 21 bulleted items on the challenges posed by the condition of the building, including its 1921 boiler system. Also mentioned were plumbing, roof, electrical, insulation, windows and leaks.
No word was available on when the council might return to the issue or make a decision.
Complicating matters, the Silver Falls Library owns 49% of the parking lot adjacent to the community center, with the city owning the remaining 51% as well as the parking between the library building and the visitor center. The city also owns the library building.
Freilinger said the city and library officials are engaged in discussions on the property issues but no specifics were available.
