A site for the center

Community Center Workforce Group members Jeanine Vandendriessche (left) and Karen Krog shared thoughts about the location of a new community center at a meeting Monday. It was agreed upon that the new center should be built in the heart of downtown Tracy, adjacent to the City Hall/VMC building. Photo / Per Peterson

The Community Center Workforce Group accomplished three tasks Monday evening in hopes of igniting the process of bringing a new center to Tracy.

While all decisions must be city council-approved, the group made an official recommendation to build a new center next to the City Hall/Veterans Memorial Center building on the site that was once home to the Masonic Lodge at the intersection of Morgan and 3rd.

Monday’s meeting was short three council members, but a quorum was present.

Members of the group also agreed to recruit at least one community member to be part of a brainstorming focus group that ideally would include a wide demographic — from youth and 20-somethings, to seniors — and they set a date for a meeting of those people at 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7.

From the outset of Monday’s meeting, it was clear at least one thing was going to be accomplished.

“We would like to have everyone commit to a place for a new community center,” said CCWG member Jeanine Vandendriessche. “We’ve sent out (fundraising) letters, but to make plans we need a spot. We have talked the school and they sound quite positive that they would help support it. It’s not a given … but they were excited to know that we were thinking of the Masonic lot. We would cooperate with the school for their concessions and other activities they may want to have there.”

See more in this week’s paper!