Boardman Park begins expansion project

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By Denise Dick

The Lariccia family donated $200,000 to renovate and expand the center.

BOARDMAN — A renovated and expanded community center within Boardman Park will open the facility to more people and more events, supporters say.

Park officials had a ground-breaking ceremony Thursday morning for the larger facility, which will be named the Lariccia Family Community Center.

Philanthropist Tony Lariccia and his family were the first donors who came forward in the Boardman Park Capital Campaign, presenting a $200,000 gift toward the community center renovation.

“The park has been here since 1947, so for 62 years it’s served the greater good,” Lariccia said. “The greater good is what Mary and I are interested in.”

Projects to which they’ve contributed have benefited large numbers of people or animals, he said.

“I don’t have any regrets that when things were good, I gave it away,” Lariccia said. “If I hadn’t given it away, I would have regrets.”

The community center is the first project undertaken in the park’s $2.3 million capital campaign, which kicked off last June. The community has supported the park, and the center will be for the community, said Dan Slagle, park executive director.

The Lariccia Family Community Center will be done in two phases. The cost of the first phase is about $950,000.

The first phase includes a new commercial kitchen accessible to both meeting rooms, renovated and enlarged restrooms, new heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment and an expanded Boardman Rotary Room.

The room’s seating capacity will grow from 48 to 120. It will also feature floor-to-ceiling glass walls at its rear to allow visitors to enjoy a view of the park’s natural beauty.

The first phase is to be completed by June 1.

The second phase, estimated at about $400,000, includes expansion of the multi-purpose room’s seating capacity from 112 to 232. It will start when sufficient funds become available.

Dr. Robert Johnson, park board chairman, said the depressed economy has slowed the campaign.

“But the community has been very giving toward us,” he said.

The park hopes that as the first phase nears completion, people will contribute to the second phase and to other projects planned as part of the campaign.

The 4M Company of Boardman is the project architect and DSV Builders Inc. of Niles is the general contractor.

Besides the Lariccia family, other top contributors include Helen Stambaugh, $100,000; Boardman Rotary Club, $75,000; SJK Charitable Trust and Kennedy Family Trust, $50,000 each.

; and Huntington Bank Foundation, $45,000.

Other park facilities also are slated for additions and improvements through the capital campaign.

Those include the Georgeanna Parker Activity Center, Maag Outdoor Arts Theatre, Detchon House, creation of a historical village green, construction of a rope and climbing wall challenge course, hike and bike, and nature trails and green space acquisition.

denise_dick@vindy.com