The Orchard Park Town Board pleased a senior citizens committee by voting unanimously Wednesday to borrow $700,000 to commission architectural drawings for a new community center that would combine a senior center and recreation department.
“It’s so easy to say no,” said Tom Pieczynski, co-chairman of the Senior Task Force and a retired engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers. “It takes a lot of guts for the Town Board to do that.”
The project, researched in recent months by Pieczynski and other task force members, was put on hold after winning the support of the 2010 Town Board.
At the time, the board considered reusing an old school just after it voted to spend $700,000 on a new design.
Everything was delayed for research that found the Baker Road School building’s needs, such as a new roof and boiler, were so expensive – about $4 million – that the cost approached the roughly estimated $5 million cost of a new community activities center.
“With $4 million, you might as well build a brand-new building,” said Councilman Eugene Majchrzak, who was on the Town Board when it approved the spending in 2010.
Supervisor Patrick Keem said he was pleased by how well a new activities center will fit in at its proposed location at Brush Mountain Park and athletic fields on California Road.
The town owns the land, and it will not have to take property off the tax rolls, he said.
Building near athletic fields, he said, would also make it easy for parents to drop off children to play baseball and stop in to work out.
“I’m thrilled that we’re moving ahead with things,” said Keem after the Wednesday night board meeting.
email: mkearns@buffnews.com
“It’s so easy to say no,” said Tom Pieczynski, co-chairman of the Senior Task Force and a retired engineer for the Army Corps of Engineers. “It takes a lot of guts for the Town Board to do that.”
The project, researched in recent months by Pieczynski and other task force members, was put on hold after winning the support of the 2010 Town Board.
At the time, the board considered reusing an old school just after it voted to spend $700,000 on a new design.
Everything was delayed for research that found the Baker Road School building’s needs, such as a new roof and boiler, were so expensive – about $4 million – that the cost approached the roughly estimated $5 million cost of a new community activities center.
“With $4 million, you might as well build a brand-new building,” said Councilman Eugene Majchrzak, who was on the Town Board when it approved the spending in 2010.
Supervisor Patrick Keem said he was pleased by how well a new activities center will fit in at its proposed location at Brush Mountain Park and athletic fields on California Road.
The town owns the land, and it will not have to take property off the tax rolls, he said.
Building near athletic fields, he said, would also make it easy for parents to drop off children to play baseball and stop in to work out.
“I’m thrilled that we’re moving ahead with things,” said Keem after the Wednesday night board meeting.
email: mkearns@buffnews.com