Harrodsburg City Commission Considers Futures of Lions Park, Armory
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Robert Moore
Herald Staff
[email protected]
The Harrodsburg City Commission has made moves regarding the future for the Lions Park Community Center and the former National Guard Armory.
At their regular meeting on Monday, April 13, the commissioners gave their approval for the Harrodsburg Fire Department to fulfill requirements of a grant application with the Kentucky State Fire Commission. The intent is to convert Lions Park into a training center for the fire department.
If Harrodsburg receives the grant, city officials say they hope to teach monthly classes there and install equipment to do live fire drills.
The conversion may take up to five years, officials say.
Residents were shocked last year when the commission voted in October to sell all personal property in Lions Park, including tables and chairs and voted to proceed with demolition and removal of Lions Park and the former police headquarters.
The commission clarified their position in November. City Attorney Norrie Currens said the city had also received estimates to repair the facility, which needs HVAC units, a roof and internal remodeling. The capital outlay for the HVAC system at Lions Park is estimated at more than $115,000, while the roof outlay would be more than $175,000, according to information provided by Commissioner Marvin “Bubby” Isham last year. City officials have said the estimates provided by Isham do not cover the cost of repairing interior issues at Lions Park.
On Monday, the city commission also approved lease agreements with Precision Dance LLC and John Owens, individually and doing business as D1 Academy to continue using the former National Guard Armory.
The city terminated the lease on the Harrodsburg Community Center at a special-called meeting earlier this year. Mercer Area Family and Education and Wellness (MAFEW) has been operating for the armory as the Harrodsburg Community Center for the last several years.
“We wanted to allow them to stay in the building at least through the end of June,” Mayor Bob Williams said Monday.
The commission has not made a final decision on the fate of the armory. On Monday, they were approached by Amy Beth Branam who requested to use armory as a community resource center.
Branam was there as a representative of the Mission, a newly formed nonprofit ministry. Since the beginning of the year, Branam said they’ve mobilized 60 volunteers and operated a warming shelter.
“People aren’t lacking services, they’re lacking access,” Branam told the commission Monday. By bringing disparate services together under one roof, including employment services, veterans services, mental health and recovery support and case management and life skills programs, Branam said it would be easier for Mercer County residents to access services.
Branam said she’d already approached possible partner organizations who would be willing to operate out of the armory.
“This is not a homeless shelter,” Branam said. “This is a professional, structured resource center.”
“How soon would you need an answer on this?” Commissioner Marvin “Bubby” Isham asked.
“We’re not on any kind of deadline,” Branam said.
Mayor Williams asked if the organization could provide any of the interior remodeling the building needs.
“I don’t have any resources at this time,” Branam. She said the group is still working on gaining nonprofit status after founding at the beginning of this year.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a challenge to find the resources to do what we need to do,” Branam said.
The commission took no action on her request. Mayor Williams said nay lease agreement the city made would include monthly payments and as well as utilities.
