Photo Credit: Huntersville Parks and Recreation
On January 20, 2018, the town of Huntersville in North Carolina celebrated the grand opening of the Huntersville Recreation Center (HRC). The 24,000-square-foot indoor facility consists of two full-size basketball courts, which can also be utilized as four volleyball courts or four pickleball courts. The HRC also has a multi-purpose room that can accommodate up to 50 people, and a concession stand, café area, and gallery seating.
Five full-time employees and two part-time staff the HRC; contracting out housekeeping and concessions helps cut back on overall costs. Concessions are only open for games and tournaments or by special request. Local restaurants are invited to sell pre-cooked and pre-packaged food for a small percentage split. While most of the general maintenance is handled by full-time maintenance staff members, jobs such as HVAC maintenance are handled by outside contractors.
Money Matters
The HRC was voted on as part of a bond package in 2012. The total construction cost of the project was $5.7 million. The town broke ground in February 2017, and in just 10 months the building was finished and staff and community members were able to move in. The HRC overlooks a lighted multi-purpose field and has a lighted, paved walking trail that wraps around the center. One thing that really makes the facility unique is its location in relation to other parks and facilities. The HRC was built within the existing, 20-year-old Huntersville Athletic Park, which features four diamonds, two multi-purpose fields, two playgrounds, a nature trail, and a picnic shelter. The park alone brings in over 200,000 visitors per year.