Meridian, ID – The City of Meridian will host an informational open house on Thursday, December 5, from 5:30 – 7:00 pm, to allow the public to share ideas, ask questions and view preliminary concepts for a future Meridian Community Center to be built as an expansion of Meridian’s Settlers Park.

The open house will be held at Meridian City Hall, 33 E. Broadway Ave.  Citizens are invited to stop by anytime that works for them between 5:30 – 7:00 PM to see the plans, provide feedback, and talk with Parks & Recreation staff about the project.

The proposed community center would be constructed on an 11-acre piece of land located adjacent to the Settlers Park ball fields. The property was recently purchased by the City of Meridian from the West Ada School District which had once considered it for a future elementary school site.

The community center, whose construction would be funded entirely by impact fees collected from building permits rather than tax dollars, would serve at the City’s hub for community education programs. It is proposed to have a reception area, a gymnasium with stage, a patio, and several multi-purpose and specialized classrooms and meeting spaces, where classes, camps and activities for children, teens, adults, seniors and families can be held year-round.

Meridian Park and Recreation currently runs many of its community education programs out of a small two-room community center located on Idaho Avenue in downtown Meridian - a space its programs have quickly outgrown.

In addition to the community center, the area is proposed to include open green space, a playground, a dog park, and approximately 340 new parking spaces which could be shared between community center patrons and other park and ball field users.

The project is still in its initial planning phase and will likely not be completed for several years.