Tiffin rec center plans will soon be available for public input

TIFFIN — The city of Tiffin is continuing work on building a rec center for the city’s growing population, moving closer to providing space for the recreational needs of all residents.

The city has been meeting regularly with Atura Architecture to build master plans. Once those plans are finalized the city will host a series of open houses where community members can review the plans and offer input. There have been no dates set for the open houses.

Right now the city is anticipating the initial phase of the project could cost around $8 million.

City Administrator Doug Boldt said planners hope that money raised through memberships would fund operational costs of the facility. Capital costs likely would be paid in part by a 1-cent local-option sales tax Tiffin voters approved last September.

“The intent would be that there would be no increase to the taxpayer assuming that we continue to grow,” Boldt said of the city’s property taxes.

Tiffin’s population more than doubled from 1990 to 2000, going from 460 residents to 975. That growth continued at a rapid rate, nearly doubling again in the next 10 years, to 1,947 residents in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The most recent census, in 2020, showed another huge growth spurt for the town, growing 131.7 percent to 4,512 residents in 2020.

If everything goes according to plan, bidding on the project could begin in the next five to six months.

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Preliminary plans

The current plan on the table includes two full sized basketball courts (with the option for four smaller courts), a batting cage and turf area, cardio and weight equipment and a free weights area.

The basketball courts also could be used for volleyball or pickleball games.

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The rec center also would include a walking track on the second floor overlooking the gym space and studio exercise rooms.

In addition, a locker room, community meeting space and some Foosball and ping pong tables would be added.

Recreation Director Frank Haege said there also are a number of “wishlist” items that could be added to the rec center, such as a bouldering wall or toddler play space.

“We'll probably get a lot of suggestions (at the open house) … and we’ll have to figure those things out. You obviously want to hit all generations, everything from toddlers to seniors, trying to make it attractive, affordable and accessible to all,” said Haege.

‘No perfect location’

The city has looked at a number of sites that would be suitable for building the rec center.

“Balancing future needs, future expansion, partnering opportunities, available properties, and infrastructure concerns is top of mind for everyone involved in these discussions and long story short, there is just no perfect location,” Tiffin Mayor Tim Kasparek said in his September newsletter to residents.

The city was previously considering at a spot in the city park, where the dog park and baseball and softball fields are. Those fields commonly host baseball and softball tournaments on the weekends throughout the spring and summer.

“We like that spot. We own the land, but it just, with the traffic congestion and parking, is a big concern. This (new) spot fixes that problem, but it is kind of on the edge of town, ” Boldt said.

The new proposed location still is in city park but near the soccer fields, by the roundabout near South Park Road. There still is discussion among city council and staff about how far west the center should be and what would happen to the soccer fields.

Potential for expansions, growing recreation program

Tiffin’s rec center plans are just phase 1 of a potential three phase project. The second phase would add a pool and the third phase would include additional gyms and exercise rooms.

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Haege said the city already has a large youth recreation program. With the new recreation center, he’d hope to increase recreation opportunities for adults.

The city hired Haege, its first recreation director, in 2020. Talks about a new recreation center began at that time, but were shelved at the onset of the pandemic. The city began re-engaging with the idea of a recreation center earlier this year.

Comments: megan.woolard@thegazette.com