On Wednesday, September 19, the Mayor’s Ad Hoc Community Center Review Committee will hold a listening session to hear from the community on the value of the J. Richard Martin Community Center. The listening session, scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Community Center’s auditorium at 189 Alfred Street, will allow both tenants and community members to speak directly to the committee and share their opinions on the facility.
The committee will begin the session with a brief overview of the building's history and current status, and then the floor will be opened to comments from the public. Feedback from the session will be considered as part of the committee’s recommendation of whether the City should further invest in the existing building, or pursue alternative options such as building or acquiring a new community facility.
The 130-year-old J. Richard Martin Community Center was first used as a public school beginning in 1888 and currently services as the hub of the City’s recreation programs. It also houses various organizations that provide services to the community, including the Ross Senior Center and 50+ Club, Meals on Wheels kitchen, Adult Education courses, AARP tax aide, and La Kermesse offices.