Leitchfield officials are exploring the possibility of constructing a recreation center.
The Director of Leitchfield Parks and Recreation, Tammee Saltsman, along with Leitchfield City Council member Dennis Fentress and Grayson County Healthcare Foundation Executive Director Brittany Clemons, presented the idea to the Leitchfield City Council Tuesday night.
“I feel this is something a community needs for various reasons,” Saltsman told the council. “My vision … I thought two full size basketball courts that break down into four middle school courts, with drop down volleyball nets. This would allow us to host basketball and volleyball tournaments. Other uses for the courts would be pickle ball, archery, trade shows, cheer competitions, and honestly, the list could go on.”
Saltsman added that it is possible to have indoor tennis courts, an indoor soccer facility and batting cages for baseball and softball. A recreation center could also be used for Grayson County High School football drills.
Additionally, an indoor walking track would be important to the community, Saltsman said, as currently people are forced to walk in the cold weather of the fall and winter at Beville Park. Being able to walk indoor during cold weather would likely encourage more people to exercise in the winter.
The facility would boast meeting rooms where community classes could be held, Saltsman stated.
Saltsman, who initially had the idea of exploring the construction of a recreation center in 2019 (then the pandemic struck), has toured rec centers in Warren and Muhlenberg counties where she was given helpful advice on the “dos and don’ts” of constructing such a facility.
Council member Dennis Fentress took the idea to Grayson County Schools officials who he says reacted positively. Fentress noted that the school district could not assist in financing the project but could likely provide an income stream once the facility was open for business.
Fentress further stated that the city may have access to “funding we’ve never had before.” He said state Sen. Steve Meredith and state Rep. Samara Heavrin, who he says reacted supportively to the idea, could play key roles in obtaining facility financing in the form of grants from state government.
Grayson Co. Healthcare Foundation
Clemons offered her full support to the project, as she has been given consent by the Grayson County Healthcare Foundation to investigate the idea.
“I have been approached by several individuals about this recreation center idea … I did speak to the board of the healthcare foundation last week and did get approval to begin investigating and exploring this option … (We want to) see what costs would be and see what would be feasible to include from a cost standpoint …”
Clemson stressed that she does not have “an official commitment from the healthcare foundation” but the body is supportive of exploring the possibility of building a recreation center.
Possible location
Fentress told the council that the officials he spoke to at Owensboro Health are “extremely supportive” and that “everybody’s for it,” as he noted the hospital owns property that would be ideal for a rec center location.
“They also have some very unique property, which would be very beneficial,” Fentress said, “and I think we could probably work out some type of arrangement to get property involved, as well.”
The property Fentress refers to is on Carroll Gibson Boulevard across the road from ECTC and the Leitchfield Aquatic Center.
“We spoke to Owensboro Health and they’d be willing to help,” Fentress said, “(and) that would be a really great place to start” looking for potential locations for a recreation center.
Mayor’s response
Leitchfield Mayor Harold Miller supports exploring the possibility of a recreation center, but said the city is currently in the “research phase.”
“It’s something that’s been rolled around in the community for a while. I think it’s needed in the community and I think it would be welcome in the community,” the mayor noted. “(But), we’re just in the research phase; looking at options. We’re very hopeful that we can get something like this done.”
Saltsman puts out call to local businesses and residents
Saltsman asked that any business or individual interested in the idea of building a recreation center, and who would like to assist financially by sponsoring sports courts or meeting rooms, to contact her at Leitchfield City Hall at 270-259-4034 ext. 100, or email her at tammee.saltsman@leitchfield.org.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
