SHAWANO, WI (WTAQ) – The Shawano City Council will address the current idea of working with the Shawano School District to build a new Rec Center and High School practice facility at their Wednesday night meeting.
The vision is to build a new rec center attached to Shawano High School that would give student athletes a more improved and larger practice space while also providing the Shawano Community an upgrade to their current facility Rec Center facility.
“We knew something was needed but we did not have a specific timeline, but this has given us the opportunity to explore.”
Park and Rec Director Matt Hendricks says there is a need to improve their facility.
“Part of our five-year plan does identify the expansion of the current Rec Center. We are in need of additional gym space and additional space for workout facilities and the facility itself was built in 1950.” Hendricks said that makes it difficult for modern-day accessibility needs. He says the city did purchase property adjacent to the Rec Center with the idea of future expansion.
While student-athletes would be using the new facility, it would also have to be a home for public and community use.
“It needs to offer amenities that we currently have and the main draw is the warm water pool, that is a must have and it needed to be open during the school day so that it is open to the community, said Sleeper. “Everyone from young parents with young children to senior citizen groups would have the opportunity to benefit from this.”
Hendricks says the warm water pool is something that many surrounding communities have and it is a big draw.
The Shawano School Board has already discussed the idea and would be the ones to make the construction happen.
School Board President Michael Sleeper says the idea has benefits, but there are many steps to go.
“We had a good discussion on it and we will be waiting to see what the city council does with it at their meeting. “It would be a major step forward for the community, the city of Shawano and the School District.”
Sleeper says the idea started about a year ago. Coaches and members of the phy-ed department told the school board that the booster club was interested in making a donation to help improve some of the student-athlete practice areas.
“To say that they are slightly behind is an understatement. Our weight room and wrestling area is quite a bit deficient to today’s standards.”
Another way the facility would benefit the school is when it comes to spring sports trying to practice.
“Other communities have an indoor turf facility,” Sleeper said. “This would have that so our teams can have adequate space to practice soccer, golf, baseball, and softball if the snow has not melted by the start of the season.”
Hendricks says that comes in handy for the city as well. “There is not enough indoor space in Shawano. The school gyms are packed full pretty much all day every day.” He says that gives the opportunity for winter indoor community leagues. “Not only would we be able to offer everything that is currently in existence, but we would be able to offer a lot more.”
One thing that Hendricks says would have to happen is a plan that would keep the facility open during the school day for the community, but still keep the High School secure since the areas will be connected.
He says one of the wins for the school is that the Park and Rec already have a staff that can move in an operate it, taking that burden off of the school’s shoulders.
“They don’t have to operate it. They help build it and then we will move our professional team in.”
Before that, Sleeper says is much more planning and discussion.
“This next step gives permission for both groups to ratify the documents needed to move forward,” he says. “We would have opportunities for public input and surveys sent out. We are a long way from having what we need to draft a referendum.”
If both groups approve the idea, steps would be taken to start the process of a 2020 referendum.
