2 plans for Mill Creek’s new hall

By Jana Hill

For the Herald

The Mill Creek Community Center is just a gleam in the architect’s eye, but at least now there are two plans instead of four.

After a series of open meetings, two plans have been dismissed. But the ones that are left, Plan A and Plan D, are similar, said Stan Lokting, architect for ARC Architects.

Lokting said ARC has been working with the community center steering committee since last fall.

A community center task force will devise a recommendation for the city council June 6. The recommendation is likely to get to the city council in July, said Lynn Devoir, city recreation supervisor.

Plan A covers about 30,000 square feet and includes an 8,000-square-foot multi-purpose room for wedding receptions and other events. That room has an attached kitchen. The outdoor plaza could provide space for the Music in the Park summer concert series and other outdoor events.

Plan D has all the same amenities, but is 35,000 square feet. It has a larger lobby, more storage space and a larger multi-purpose room. The city could have senior meals on a daily basis and in the evening offer yoga, Lokting said.

Also part of the bigger Plan D is a gym and a half (Plan A has a full gym). The extra half gym could allow for two programs at once.

"Gyms are really in short supply here," Devoir said.

Lokting said some businesses have expressed concern that a community center would compete with businesses that offer exercise facilities.

Lokting, who has been designing community centers for 20 years, said the people drawn by community centers often want to drop into a class and try something new.

"We find these inspire people to do new things with their lives," Lokting said.

If and when the community center is built, Devoir said the space will get used.

Currently, the parks program conducts classes in City Hall where staff, police and city meetings compete for space.

"We do have a lot of requests for classes we can’t offer because we don’t have the space to do it," Devoir said.

Jack Start, the city council’s representative on the task force, said it will likely be into 2003 before voters see a ballot measure for bonds to pay for a community center.

Jana Hill writes for the Enterprise newspaper in Mill Creek. She can be reached at janahill@heraldnet.com or 425-673-6533.

The Community Center Task Force is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Mill Creek City Hall, 15728 Mill Creek Blvd. For more information on the public meeting, call 425-745-1891.

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