Friday, February 19, 2010
CAMPBELL — A youth center would be welcome in the city, says the leader of a committee that’s exploring how to start one.
Dr. Robert Walls also said the city council should step in and lead the quest to open the center. Walls, Campbell Elementary School principal, chairs the panel that’s made up of religious, community and government leaders.
A phone survey of 1,211 city residents showed that an overwhelming majority would support a center, Walls said. He presented the survey results at a committee meeting Wednesday at the school.
The survey showed that families with elementary-school children in particular like the idea, he said.
The committee is considering using the old Faith Temple Baptist Church building on Roosevelt Boulevard near the municipal building. Walls said the building could house the center temporarily until grants become available in three to five years for a building project.
The building is for sale. It includes office space and could serve as a multipurpose center, committee members have said.
Committee members toured the building earlier this month and said they believe it’s suitable.
Mark Samuel of Neighborhood Ministries said he discovered through contacting 48 social- service agencies in Mahoning County that they would support the center — not with rent by opening offices in it, but at least with programs that could be offered there.
Those programs could result in more grants for the center, said Mayor George Krinos.
Walls said state Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Canfield, D-33rd, promised to personally help obtain grants for the center.
But, Walls said, Schiavoni pointed out that more grants are available to a city than to a committee.
“We need to ask council if they’ll step up to the plate,” Walls said.
“I can’t speak on behalf of council,” Krinos said. “The biggest concern is if they have the ability to own and maintain [the building.]”
Krinos said he would try to find resources for funding.
“I’ll do what I can, but I don’t have the final say-so,” he added.
Krinos said he checked with Girard Mayor James Melfi and with people who run Girard’s multipurpose center.
He said they would send him information on grants.
He also said the Girard center got a $1.6 million earmark grant through then-U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. He said he would check with U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, about available federal money.
Committee members are planning a presentation at council’s caucus meeting at 6:15 p.m. March 3.
Youth center
Survey results
A phone survey of 1,211 families asked six questions to gauge interest in opening a youth center in Campbell. Forty-four percent responded to the survey, said Dr. Robert Walls, leader of a committee exploring how to start a center.
Do you feel that Campbell should have a youth center or multipurpose building for its citizens? Yes, 95 percent; no, 5 percent.
Would you send your children for physical and educational activities after school and on weekends to the center? Yes, 92 percent; no, 8 percent.
Should the facility be owned by the city of Campbell or a nonprofit organization? Should the city own the facility? Yes, 78 percent; no, 22 percent.
Should the building be a multipurpose building so all Campbell citizens would have an opportunity to use the facilities? Yes, 91 percent; no, 9 percent.
Should the building house social-service agencies that serve our community and its citizens? Yes, 83 percent; no, 17 percent.
Would you support a capital fund-raising project for a youth/multipurpose building in Campbell? Yes, 83 percent; no, 17 percent.
Source: Campbell Community Center committee