Club asks to share city gym

Kelly Rollins and Dan Jernigan have been looking into the possibility of starting a chapter in Shelbyville and they asked the city council Tuesday if they could share the facility with the parks and recreation department.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America focus on promoting and enhancing "the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence," according to the organization's web site.

Rollins said they haven't gotten as far as drawing up "any contractual language yet," but he pointed out that the lease agreement between the county and city for the gym does not allow them to sublet the facility.

"That's something we will have to address," Rollins said.

City recorder Betty Lamb relayed what city attorney Ginger Shofner advised in regards to the request -- that the organizers will have to speak to the county commission first and "if the city wants to participate, we can go from there.

"We can't do anything with it, the building belongs to the county," Lamb said.

Shofner suggested a meeting between the club's organizers, members of the council and county commission, according to Lamb.

According to the lease agreement signed in November 2008, the county transferred the gym, football stadium and field house, adjacent practice field and parking lots to the city.

Shelbyville pays no rent for the use of the facility.

The lease "shall continue so long as the premises are utilized by the City for recreational purposes," with Shelbyville being responsible for all maintenance and upkeep, as well as providing fire, casualty and liability insurance.

However, the agreement also states that the lease can not be transferred, assigned or sublet without prior permission of the landlord, which is the county.

Rollins said their plan is to plug their children into some of the programs that the parks and recreation department already provide, saying "it would be a great partnership" allowing the department to enhance what they do and vice versa.

Sports and recreation is "the carrot" the club dangles in front of youth to get them to join the organization, Rollins said, and then they can include them in their programs such as drug, alcohol and pregnancy prevention programs, as well as other life enrichment programs.

The foreman for the parks department, Aaron West, and athletic coordinator Jakob Stephens moved their offices to Central Memorial Gym in May and it was through their work, funding from the Shelbyville budget and private donations that the gym and other rooms are moving closer to being able to be utilized once again.

City funds have been used to stop a leaking roof and to install fire alarm equipment to bring the 1954-vintage building up to code, and the public works department did some electrical work as well earlier this year.

A "visioning" session for the gym took place last February, with Mayor Wallace Cartwright, council member Kay Rose, members of the city's park board and others developing a concept of using the building for a community activity center.

Stephens said the gym has been used for basketball practice for the past five years, but Harris Middle has been using it for baseball and softball practice and batting cages have been placed on the upper level of the gym that will be rented out in the future.

There are also plans for youth league basketball to be played in the gym this year, Stephens said, as well as plans for indoor soccer and using two areas in the old building for meeting rooms.