City, TRI Board considering major expansion of community center

The TRI Community Center could more than double in size if funding comes through for a major proposed expansion.

During the annual joint meeting of the Oxford Recreation Board and the TRI Board Jan. 27, TRI Board president Doug Curry presented renderings for a TRI Center expansion. The new facility space would add three full basketball courts, an indoor track, a community room, a new lobby and office space.

“It’s a vision for what the opportunity or potential could be to serve Oxford and the Talawanda district.” Curry said. “… We think we can have more impact on the community if we do some upgrades and create a vision for that.”

While Oxford’s Parks and Recreation Department operates out of the TRI Center, the building is owned by Talawanda Recreation, Inc., a nonprofit organization which formed nearly six decades ago to create new recreational space for the community. The land the property currently sits on was donated to the TRI in 1968, and the organization broke ground on the community center in 1969, according to reporting in the Journal-News.

The current facility features one basketball court on the top floor, plus a small weight room, preschool classrooms and city offices.

The proposed expansion would leave the current building standing and extend to the west. Three new courts with bleachers would allow for pickleball, basketball, volleyball and other activities, while an indoor track would surround the courts. The expansion would also include a community room and new office space.

If the TRI Board moves forward with fundraising for an expansion, Parks and Recreation Director Casey Wooddell said the city would need to commit to extended operation hours for the new facilities. “We can’t build this and say we’re closing at 1 o’clock on Saturday,” he said. “That’s not an option. We’ve got to be open longer … Staffing is going to have to increase.”

The expansion would also allow the city’s preschool program to extend to the full first floor of the current building and move the current fitness center upstairs.

“The building was built and designed for one staff member and then a bunch of volunteers,” Wooddell said. “Now, there’s nine full-time staff members and several part-time, and we’ve all squeezed into whatever closet in the building we can find.”

According to Sports Facilities Companies, a national consulting firm, indoor sports and recreation facilities with event space cost an average of $200-300 per square foot. With the proposed expansion coming in  at 28,000 square feet, that could mean $5.6-8.4 million, not including renovations of the existing facilities. Curry declined to publicly share internal estimates for the project cost.

At the joint meeting, Curry said the TRI Board and the city will need to focus on fundraising efforts before deciding whether the proposal can move forward. The Oxford Observer reported last year that a potential expansion could have included a wing for Oxford Seniors, but Curry confirmed that the current plans no longer involve dedicated space for the separate organization.