Olander Park to get place for new central office
8/14/2002Administrators at Olander Park have been given the go-ahead to look for an architect to design an office building on the park's site at 6930 West Sylvania Ave.
Park commissioners recently gave their general approval to the idea, but added that they would like to see the price kept at or below the slightly less than $200,000 now estimated for the construction.
Commissioner Gail Abood said the building should have “decent street appeal,'' but should be a relatively simple “utilitarian'' structure.
Although planning is in initial stages, the structure will have offices for the system's staff and will probably include a room for meetings, including the monthly commissioners' meeting.
Gary Madrzykowski, director of the park system, said three offices are now shared by eight staff members in the Nederhouser Community Hall.
If a building is constructed, it will probably be to the east of the hall and may be outside the fencing of the park site to reduce vehicle traffic in the park, Mr. Madrzykowski said. It will probably be about 1,200 square feet, and will need about a 10-space parking area.
Space in Nederhouser Hall currently used for commissioners' meetings and for other office functions will be expanded and remodeled for use as a nature education center.
The park system began a nature program in 2000 and more than 15,000 residents have participated in it since its inception, park officials said.
There has been no central location to administer the program, Mr. Madrzykowski said, but the remodeled area should meet that need.
The area was named Friday for Steve Gorman, a long-time superintendent of the community hall, who died in April, two days short of his 81st birthday.
Mr. Gorman was involved in the scheduling and accommodations for the meetings and parties that about 50,000 people attend each year at the hall.
Once the renovation is complete, Mr. Madrzykowski said, an appropriate plaque will be placed inside the Gorman Nature Education Center.