Linda Murray: Moultonborough can support additional community center

To The Daily Sun,

Spending over $850,000 to rehab the kitchen which includes 1,500 square feet, at $567 per square foot, is going to cancel out forever the chance of getting a Community Center. This rehab will increase kitchen equipment and storage space, not enlarge the gathering area. Coming up with a figure of $15,000,000 is an outrageous scare tactic by the people in town who do not want a community center. Anyone can exaggerate a figure, as is done here.

At the presentation of the HUB (Community Center) it was said that donations have already been pledged by a private citizen along with several businesses expressing interest in donating to this town community gather place. Future donations and fundraising will certainly lower the cost to the town.

The pool will pay for itself by making it a gym type of membership along with a physical therapy pool for rehabs.

The pool will give the children in town a place to swim after school along with maybe a swim team. Also with the new HUB it will a place to rent for social events and finally a gathering place for the people of Moultonborough.

Having owned a home here for the last 40 years, I realize how little in the way of community activity the town offers. The Meals on Wheels is a wonderful thing for people who need it and it will always be operating through the new HUB community center construction. But what about a new center which would offer lectures, arts, a gym for many purposes and a place people in town to just gather?

Putting large bandages on this building is not the answer. Investing in a kitchen will, of course, be wonderful, but what about the other repairs that need to be done i.e. roof, windows.

Linda Murray

Moultonborough