12 Rec Centers Close; Golden Hobby Shop Still Open
NBC 4’s Tanya Hutchins
Find out when centers are closing and when. Plus, learn why one local center will remain open.
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Several Columbus recreation centers have known their days were numbered because of the city’s budget deficit.
NBC 4’s Tanya Hutchins reported with the FAST FACTS.
City council made the closings officials, and those centers were preparing to close their doors.
There wasn’t enough money to keep the centers open, the city said.
It’s disappointing to children and adults, as the centers have been positive gathering places where people learn new skills and build communities.
Residents fought to keep their centers open by attending public hearings, but 12 centers will not be spared.
REDUCED HOURS
Douglas Recreation Center, 1250 Windsor Ave. (43211), will begin its reduced hours schedule on Tues, Feb. 24. The center will operate Tuesdays through Fridays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays.
CLOSING FRIDAY AT 5 P.M.
Seniors in painting and stained glass classes said they’re sorry to see the center shut down.
“It’s sad to see this facility go because this is the only place that seniors have that’s only for seniors,“ said Larry Eisenman.
Many will go to the Whetstone Recreation Center or the Gillie Recreation Center for classes, but they said it will not be the same.
“I hate it to close because this is the only center that has this art studio, so … it’s very inspirational here. Other places are just rooms,“ said Anna Austin.
CLOSING SATURDAY AT 6 P.M.
ALREADY CLOSED
GOLDEN HOBBY SHOP
Although, it previously was reported that The Golden Hobby Shop was going to close Friday, the shop will remain open. The Board of Trustees met with the Director of Columbus Rec and Parks Friday and they are working out a letter of agreement.
The Golden Hobby Shop will pay for more expenses than in the past.
The store at 630 S. 3rd St. is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
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Reader Reactions
Tim, rec centers still open: Barnett, Beatty, Blackburn, Brentnell, Carriage Place, Dodge, Driving Park, Far East, Gillie, Howard, Lazelle Woods, Linden, Marion Franklin, Schiller, Thompson, Westgate, Whetstone and Woodward Park. Another, Douglas, remains open but with reduced hours. Source: Columbus Department of Recreation and Parks. List with map printed in 2/15/09 Columbus Dispatch - page B4.
The Martin Janis Senior Citizen Center was established by Governor James Rhodes specifically for Senior Citizens. The Mayor and City Council have wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars studying the feasibility of a downtown rail system which would not benefit anyone since we already have buses doing the job. I believe that our members of city council have full time jobs besides their jobs with city council. Why don’t they take a substantial pay cut to allow the city to maintain much needed services. If the city receives money from the Federal or State Government, it should not be used for the rail service. They are planning to spend millions of dollars to tear down City Center. Why not leave as is until the city can afford to do something else with the center. I am pretty sure that there casino owners who gladly spend the big bucks to put in a casino which would then add much needed income for the city. People go out of the state to gamble, why not stay here to gamble.
For comparison, it’d be nice to know which centers remain open.
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