Beaumont community recreation center nearing completion
BEAUMONT - The big, beautiful building on the corner of Oak Valley Parkway and Cherry Avenue is in the final stages of construction. When it's finished it will stand out as one of Beaumont's community jewels.
The Albert A. Chatigny, Sr. Community Recreation Center has over 24,000 square feet spread out over two floors. The first floor will house a 4,500 square foot childcare facility, and a huge multi-purpose gymnasium that can be used for sports - such as basketball - and also serve as a venue for performing arts. Meeting rooms take up most of the space on the second floor.
A theater stage rises above the gym floor midway between the floor's baselines. The stage can be used for indoor and outdoor live productions as the rear of the stage opens to a courtyard - thus serving as an outdoor amphitheater.
Construction on the $7.4 million building should be completed in time so that services can be offered about mid-May, said Darci Carranza, Beaumont special projects manager, adding that a grand opening is scheduled for June 13.
In every phase of construction, energy conservation has been emphasized, said Albert Chatigny, Jr., Project Supervisor for Bogh Construction, the general contractor for the project.
"We've got wind and solar energy and we've used a tremendous amount of recycled material," said Chatigny. Other energy saving measures include energy-efficient lighting and drought-tolerant plants.
Albert Chatigny, Jr. is also the son of the late Albert A. Chatigny, Sr., for whom the building is named after.
Albert Chatigny, Sr. long dedicated himself to the community and the city's youth. To honor his contributions, the City Council passed a resolution naming the community center after him, Carranza said.
Community Services Operations, which is in charge of recreational activities, special events, and senior services programs, is currently housed in the Beaumont Civic Center on Sixth Street. But starting about the end of April, those services will migrate to the Community Center, Carranza said.
"We've been doing well with our space (at the Civic Center), but we definitely need to have some of our services at the community center," Carranza said. "Our administrative services like planning and building and safety will remain at the civic center."
Carranza added that a PAL (Police Activities League) officer will be stationed at the community center, "to interact with the kids."
But the Community Center offers far more than recreation: If a disaster strikes, such as a major earthquake, the building will be used as an evacuation center, triage, and command center for the police and fire departments, Chatigny said, pointing out that a back up generator stands at the ready should the power supply be cut off to the building.
"It is an awesome building," Chatigny said.
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