William Kaplan talked with participants about forming a city-wide basketball league.
A brainstorming session about the future use of the Armory building on South William Street in Newburgh on Tuesday morning attracted some 75 people who had a rare opportunity to talk about how to share a resource that could benefit many, especially the city’s youth.
City Recreation Department Will Develop Plans with the Community
Pamela Peterson from the city recreation department led the discussion about what types of activities could take place in the 60,000 square foot building that was sold to the city for $1 earlier this year. The property also contains 12 acres of grounds.
The transformation of the structure, once home to the New York State National Guard, has already begun following a donation of $100,000 from the Kaplan Family Foundation that will be used to make the gymnasium and restrooms handicap accessible and to repair the roof. Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh will oversee the work.
Kaplan and Larkin Stress Community Involvement
William Kaplan was on hand at Tuesday’s brainstorming session, where he sat shoulder-to-shoulder with youth leaders, educators and artists as they wrote up lists of all the activities that could take place under the Armory roof. Kaplan encouraged people to take ownership of the transformation of the building, an idea also endorsed by state senator Bill Larkin, who said it was part of a major revitalization of the city.
People Want Programs for Sports, Education, Arts
Mindy Ross, vice president of SUNY Orange, and Maria Guttierez of BOCES discussed educational programs that could be held at the Armory.
Joy Pittman, head of the city recreation department, which will be moving its office onto the Armory site, said the transformation of the gymnasium is just phase one of a long-term project to use the entire property. She noted that there are not enough gyms in the city and said there are basketball teams, tennis players and a drill team that would like to use the space.
Representatives of the Hoops Express program proposed forming a citywide basketball team, which they said had once been very popular. A representative of the school board said that the district could hold parent workshops in the space while the arts groups talked about live performances, after-school programs, art exhibits and fit programs.
Murals, Gardens Could Be Part of the Future
The participants shared their lists of possible programs to bring into the building and surrounding grounds.
Several people suggested that people should take an active role in rehabilitating the building and grounds, with ideas of youths painting murals on the walls, constructing a garden outside and providing maintenance work.
At the end of the brainstorming session, William Kaplan proposed that a smaller group come back with the long lists produced at the meeting and begin the work of focusing on achievable goals by the end of the year.
Loading...
