By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The walls are still being erected, but citizens are already calling to reserve space for functions at the new Veterans Building in City Park.
So in preparation of demands for the new building, the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Board voted Tuesday evening to set the rental rates for the site. The recommended rates will now go to City Council, which will make the final decision on the rates.
The new building in City Park will fill a gap in rental locations in the city, according to Parks and Recreation Director Kristin Otley. The new banquet room will be able to accommodate 250 people.
“That type of venue just doesn’t exist in Bowling Green,” Otley said.
The Simpson Garden Building can hold a maximum of 160 people. The BGSU Union and the new exhibition building on the Wood County Fairgrounds are massive. So the new City Park building will meet the in-between needs.
And it’s already in demand, Otley said, as she asked the board to consider setting rental rates.
“We have people calling all the time asking to rent the new facility,” she said.
The proposed rates are comparable with other similar facilities in the area.
“We want to keep it reasonable for people,” Otley said.
The proposed rates for the largest room are:
- $400 for four hours for BG residents.
- $425 for four hours for non-residents.
- $675 for eight hours for city residents.
- $700 for eight hours for non-residents.
- $850 for all day for city residents.
- $875 for all day for non-residents.
There will also be two smaller rooms that can be rented in the new Veterans Building.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Otley presented an update on the lack of air conditioning in the community center. It has been determined, with 99.9 percent certainty, she said, that a lightning strike caused the chillers to stop functioning earlier this summer.
Since the building is owned by the state – with Bowling Green, the Ohio National Guard, and Wood Lane partnering at the site – the city is hopeful the state will pick up the expected $400,000 cost of replacing the chillers.
Community center members, who have been affected by the lack of air conditioning, especially on hot days, have been given coupons for an extra month on their membership passes, or a month of classes at the center.
In other business, Otley reported the Simpson Garden Park Committee would be meeting soon. The group will include people who were involved in the initial planning of the park. Karen Rippey, a member of the park board, will be the liaison with the committee and will report back to the board.
Neighbors of the Simpson Garden Park will then be able to voice their opinions on the park’s future during the public focus group meetings for the park department’s master plan update.
On the other side of the city, a public meeting will be held on Sept. .5, at 4 p.m., to discuss the new shelter house planned at Carter Park. The meeting will be held in the Bartlett Shelter at the park, and will cover the building of a new shelter to take the place of the two existing teepee-style shelters in Carter Park.
The profits from the park foundation’s wine and cheese fundraiser will help with the costs of the new shelter house.
Also at the park and recreation board meeting:
- Parks foundation member Jodi Anderson announced that the wine and cheese fundraiser this fall will feature live auction items such as a bike, I-pad, and a tour of the tower on the Mackinac Bridge.
- Leveling and seeding will begin soon at Ridge Park.
- Yoga and Tai Chi are being offered in the newly renovated “healing garden” in Simpson Garden Park. Chris Gajewicz, natural resources coordinator, explained that the healing garden has been changed from including medicinal plants, to being a more holistic site.
- Ivan Kovacevic, recreation coordinator, reported on the “challenging” summer weather for park events. Some events had to be postponed or canceled, while others had to be relocated to indoor sites.
- Gajewicz announced upcoming events, including the Sept. 9 talk by a gardening authority, and the Sept. 19 program by an expert on Peregrine falcons and bald eagles.
