Community Center taking shape By Louise Wettreich, For The Capital
Krista Macknovitz dances with the Carter School of Dance at the Community Center.
The Community Center
623 Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard
Severna Park, Maryland 21146 www.thecommunitycenter.com
410-647-5843
Patt Haun beamed as she described the evolution of the multi-purpose facility where she has been executive director for the past four years.
The multi-million dollar construction project at The Community Center in Severna Park has come and gone - for now - and Mrs. Haun couldn't be more pleased about the center's future.
"I felt excited; relieved that the construction was finally completed and thrilled with how attractive it all looked," she said.
The progression of the center's name reflects an expansion of its purpose. Once called Woods Memorial Community Center, then Community Center at Woods, and now just The Community Center, the facility is closer to its goal of becoming a place for a growing number of activities, where people of all ages and places are welcome.
"Mom will be able to go to the weight room while her child is in swim lessons and grandma is off enjoying her book club or playing cards," Mrs. Haun said. "We feel that cross-generational contact is important and should be nurtured."
$5.7 million project
The construction at The Community Center, which started last July, was split into two phases in order to keep part of the center operational while buying time to raise money for the second half of the project.
The $2.2 million first phase of the project included renovating the existing pool, and adding a 30-by-40 foot therapeutic heated pool and a new building to house both.
The adjoining Holy Grounds Youth Center also underwent structural and aesthetic improvements, including a major exterior facelift.
The second phase of the project, expected to cost $3.5 million, is scheduled to start in early March and continue for about nine months.
The bigger of the two phases will bring a gym the size of a regulation basketball court, a dance studio that will also be used for aerobics and martial arts instruction, a weight room and four meeting rooms.
The meeting rooms will be available to the community for such events as classes, seminars and workshops.
"We will be able to offer more at a reasonable pay-as-you go price," Mrs. Haun said. "We encourage the public to let us know what they would like to see. Programs will be limited only by our community's imagination."
Better place to live
Although The Community Center in Severna Park has been open since May 15, the official ribbon cutting and open house took place Sept. 29, coinciding with National Women's Health and Fitness Day.
Tours of the complex and its assorted bells and whistles, free health screenings, and a chance to see programs in action drew about 150 people including county and state politicians.
"We opened in May to begin the summer season not knowing the full capacity and how it would all work yet," Mrs. Haun said. "We wanted to iron out any kinks before (the official opening)."
Andy Borland became The Community Center's capital campaign chairman after retiring as a longtime teacher and winning coach in 2002 from Severna Park High School.
"When Phase I was complete, I can't tell you how very proud I was," Mr. Borland said. "Severna Park is already a great place and now it will be an even better place to live."
A community vision
Brooke Besche practices with the SPY swimming team.
For Maureen Kogut, the aquatics program coordinator, the Community Center is very much a family affair.
She first got involved in 1992 simply by spending so much time at the pool. Her six children, ages 6-to-19, have all participated on the two swim teams at the center. Now, her eldest son, Peter, is a part-time lifeguard at the pool.
New programs at the pools include Arthritis Foundation water exercise, joint rehabilitation and AiChi, a class similar to TaiChi but performed in water, designed to reduce stress and muscle stiffness.
Debbie McKibben of Arnold, whose two children are on the intramural swim team, said the instruction and reasonable cost at the center are top notch.
"You get to do some really fun things, like games and relays," said 10-year-old Kelan.
His 8-year-old sister, Braeden, also looks forward to lessons.
"I've learned how to dive, and I made two new friends," she said.
For Mr. Borland, that vision of The Community Center - a gathering place where all are welcome and friendships form - will make the center "the heart of Severna Park."
"We used to lament about not having a place for our children to go," he said. "Now we finally have that."
Louise Wettreich is a freelance writer for The Capital.
The construction at The Community Center, which started last July, was split into two phases in order to keep part of the center operational while buying time to raise money for the second half of the project.