Morrisons present final Rec Center review

The Holiday Island Suburban Improvement District (HISID) Board of Commissioners received a final Recreation Center Facilities Review at its Monday work session from architects Charles and Laura Morrison.

Laura, who gave most of the presentation, said the report overviews four phases. Phase 1 is immediate and near-future improvements to existing facilities and includes ballpark cost estimates.

Phase 2 is an addition to and renovation of the main entry to the Rec Center building and the consolidation of the Pro Shop. Phase 3 is the addition of an indoor pool and a fitness center to the existing facility, and Phase 4 is a new community center.

But phases 2, 3 and 4 may be a long time in coming, she noted. Improvements to the existing facility are projected to take place over the next three to five years.

The biggest need to be addressed, she said, is the Rec Center restroom and shower facilities.

The plan calls for demolition of all interior walls, floor and ceilings, ductwork, lighting and non-ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) compliant ramps. New HVAC (air conditioning), plumbing and electrical will be installed to comply with ADA. New ventilation will be installed. All showers and toilet fixtures will be ADA-compliant.

These improvements are projected to cost between $175,000 and $225,000.

The next big-ticket item would be enclosing the current game room and adding HVAC for it, at a cost of about $20,000.

Replacing wheelchair ramps at the main entry would run from $7,500-$10,000.

Other improvements include $1,500 to clean out storage rooms and install a stackable washer/dryer; $1,250 to replace the ramp outside the office; $1,500 to repair stone walls outside the main entry; and $5,000-$7,.500 to landscape. All of this totals between $211,750 and $266,750.

The report shows a review of usage of Rec Center amenities through Aug. 9, with the pools, miniature golf course and tennis courts by far getting the most usage. Figures for a three-year period show the following:

Swimming pools: 2002: 15,419; 2003, 14,639; 2004: 10,159.

Miniature golf course: 2004: 2,330.

Tennis courts: 2002: 969; 2003: 1,141; 2004: 1,393.

The Morrisons went into some detail on resurfacing the pool deck and the tennis courts.

On the tennis courts, Charles said there are two levels of repairing them: reconstructing them or resurfacing them. He said, left unmaintained, "you are not that many years away from having to reconstruct."

New tennis courts cost $40,000 to build, he said. The district has $160,000' worth of tennis courts.

Pam Campbell, Rec Center director, said tennis court usage is up significantly.

It will cost about $11,000 per court to resurface, and Laura suggested just the court closest to the Rec Center could be done at this time to save money.

The courts should last another six to eight years, Laura said, with resurfacing.

Lighting for night use of courts was also discussed. Light poles need to be replaced because of safety concerns from moisture damage.

Improvements being recommended at this time heavily emphasize ADA-compliance and following state-mandated construction codes.

District Manager Kevin Crosson noted the state will certainly require the district to comply with these regulations in its improvements. The number of toilets and shower stalls is based on occupancy rating, he said, not on how many people are using the facility at any one time.

Renovation of the Barn was reported as unfeasible because of its structure.

"The cost of putting in trusses and taking out columns is prohibitive," Charles said, noting the Barn would still not serve well for use as a theater.

"You'd be better off spending the money on designing a whole new building."

Laura noted the Barn is mostly used for receptions, art classes and line dancing.

"Its use is limited because it is a barn structure," she said. "The outside is in good shape, but we couldn't come up with any other use options than the current use. It is what it is."

This is not to say they recommend demolishing it, because it is one of the few historical buildings in Holiday Island, but not to try to renovate it.

Commissioners will take this week to look over the 16-page report and attachments, and the Morrisons will return to the business meeting next Monday to answer further questions.

Crosson said the district has $90,000-$100,000 to spend this year, and he will "stage out" costs for where to begin and bring recommendations to them.

Copies of the report are available at the district office or from Morrison Architecture.

Commissioners also discussed the marina restroom, which the district will do in-house.

Crosson reported $15,000 has been allocated to build an ADA-compliant restroom facility separate from the Yacht Club. However, the actual cost, because the Corps of Engineers is requiring a lift station, will be between $20,000-$25,000.

He said the district's intention, if the board agrees, is to go ahead and do the work this year and plan to overrun the budget, perhaps shifting funds from another area to cover the deficit.

The business meeting will be held Monday, Sept. 27, at 6:30 p.m. at the district office.