According to Peter Farragher, executive director of the James Russell Wiggins Down East Family YMCA and community center board member, the opportunity was too good to pass up. The building is already handicap-accessible, the walls are soundproofed and the phone infrastructure is in. The unexpected announcement came Tuesday at the monthly school committee meeting. The entrance will be on the side facing the high school. The board is signing a three-year lease with the option to renew.
Heat is included in the rent.
The board has put together a conservative budget, so we ll break even. The community center will serve youth and adults at varying times, according to Farragher. The space will include a study room with computers and a recreational room with a television, pool tables and games. Rob Eaton, program director at the YMCA, will run the community center along with a staff of part-time employees and volunteers. Children will be encouraged to assist in the design, as well as the development of rules, Farragher said.