Metro Parks officials are holding an open house Wednesday night to share ideas for the future of Manitou Community Center, a staple in South Tacoma.
There is a proposal to surplus the aging building, but no viable group or organization has yet stepped forward to take on the center.
Nancy Johnson, Metro Parks’ spokeswoman, said the preference is to keep the facility in public hands so residents keep benefiting from the resources. But if nobody steps forward, a surplus to a private entity will be considered.
“We want a viable opportunity to remain in the public’s trust and interest,” Johnson said. “But we can’t continue to afford upkeep on a building that is quickly deteriorating once the new community center opens.”
The $15.6 million South Tacoma Activity & Recreation Center is scheduled to open in the spring. That means Metro Parks won’t have the funds to maintain operations on both sites.
Metro Parks considered closing Manitou when they halted their programs there in 2005, but neighbors fought to keep the doors open and officials worked out an agreement with Kids Korner Day Care.
The day-care center now maintains the building and day-to-day operations at the old community center, which also houses a food bank garden, arts programs and glass studio, among other things.
Park officials said they notified Kids Korner in March 2010 so they could prepare for the sale of the facility.
Manitou once was an elementary school; it was traded to Metro Parks in 1994. Community-based programs were operated there until 2005, when park officials decided it no longer made sense to maintain programs in the shabby building.
Programs were relocated to South Park Community Center and Tacoma Public Schools’ School of the Arts.
Looking ahead, the Asia Pacific Cultural Center will be based at South Park and most other programs will be based at the STAR Center.
“We now have a new building that will service that community in a way Manitou never could,” Johnson said.
In addition to the surplus, tonight’s meeting will also be a chance for residents to tell Metro Parks what kind of programs they’d like to see offered at the new community center.
A second meeting will be held Jan. 4 to discuss the surplus proposal for Manitou.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
stacia.glenn@thenewstribune.com
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