RIVERSIDE
Riverside is shooting for a 2027 grand opening of a proposed community center following years of on-again, and off-again discussions.
When a steering committee of residents met …
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RIVERSIDE
Riverside is shooting for a 2027 grand opening of a proposed community center following years of on-again, and off-again discussions.
When a steering committee of residents met last week in a kickoff meeting at Riverside City Hall, some of them having served on a similar committee several years ago when a proposal for a community center was tabled by the City Council, current City Council member Ryan Rogerson was clear in the city’s new direction.
“We have the council now to get it done,” Rogerson said. “It appears everyone is on board.”
The plan for a community center has advanced so much that OPN Architects of Iowa City is working on a design for a facility that would cost between $8 million and $9 million. Axiom Consultants, of Iowa City, is partnering with OPN in the project. Months ago, City Council members visited the Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center in Mount Vernon to get ideas for what Riverside’s community center could be.
The city already has land secured for the community center, just west of Highland Elementary School.
The size of the center would be between 30,000 and 35,000 square feet.
Cole Smith, City Administrator, said that $1.4 million is already in a fund reserved for the community center. The city plans on putting a bond referendum on the November 2025 election ballot. Additional funds are expected to be requested in a Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant.
“I do think we’re in a very good position to make this happen,” Smith said.
The steering committee was formed, in part, to help spread the word around town. It will meet once a month. At some point, this spring or summer, a public meeting will be held once designs for the center are closer to completion.
The facility is expected to include a full-sized basketball court, a running track above the court, locker rooms and a number of function or workout rooms. The community center will be run by the city and there has been preliminary discussions about moving city offices to the new building.
There is also talk of a privately run child-care center being a part of the community center.
