LAGUNA NIGUEL : Council Weighs New Community Center

The City Council on Tuesday decided to investigate the possibility of building a second community center building in Crown Valley Community Park to provide more office space for recreation staff and more room for class registration.

Originally, the council had considered adding onto the existing Community Center building, which contains a ballroom, a kitchen, and men’s and women’s locker rooms for the adjacent swimming pool.

But an architectural firm’s study showed expansion wouldn’t be feasible because of high construction costs, major landscape changes and the need to overhaul the entire building to meet today’s more stringent codes for handicapped access and seismic safety.

The city is considering erecting a 3,000- to 4,000-square-foot building to replace the trailer that houses recreation staff offices. The new building would contain a conference room, offices, restrooms and a reception area with a counter for class registration.

Several council members also expressed interest in replacing the 5,100-square-foot Community Center building, where the city offers recreation classes and local groups host fund-raisers and parties, with a new building once the second building at the site of the trailer is complete.

“I think it has outlived its original usefulness,” said Councilman Thomas W. Wilson about the 16-year-old, two-story building. “It’s time to look at what can be done to accommodate the community in coming years. Why not do it now rather than five years from now, when people are still trying to shoehorn themselves in there?”

Council members said the first step in renovating the community center will be improving the park’s tight parking situation.