Huntington Council to Spell Out Park Uses

As part of the city’s plans to develop unused portions of Huntington Central Park, the City Council on Monday will define the specific uses for a complex of sports and recreation buildings planned for a 5-acre area.

Jim Engle, the city’s acting community services director, is proposing that the section of the park be used for a swimming pool complex, a gymnastics center and a recreation center that would include a multipurpose gymnasium.

Council members have already set aside the land and have discussed Engle’s proposed uses for the area, but have yet to determine exactly what facilities should be built there.

In previous discussions of that issue, the council has been divided. Their main disagreement has been whether the gymnastics facility should be designated specifically for a single private organization or focus on being a public facility. Council members have also discussed whether the gymnastics center should be integrated into the recreation center.

As proposed, the swimming complex could accommodate all levels of swimming competition and lessons.

The recreation center would include indoor facilities for basketball, volleyball and other sports, as well as board games and other activities.

The gymnastics center would be a separate facility solely designated for gymnastics training and competition.

The proposed developments would be part of a 21-acre section of the park west of Golden West Street that the council plans to build into a sports and recreation hub for northwest Orange County.

The 5-acre area borders the southern edge of a 16-acre site at Talbert Avenue designated for a lighted complex of youth baseball, soccer and football fields.