Design Underway For New Carver Park Community Center

April 9, 2024

Design plans are underway for a new county community center in Cantonment.

The proposed 3,200 square feet modular building will be located in Carver Park at Webb and Washington streets.

For nearly a decade, the very active Cantonment Improvement Committee has operated from a much smaller 600 square feet building that was dedicated as the Carver Park Resource Center. They have used the small space for computer instruction, food distributions, after-school programs, and meetings.

Escambia County earmarked $1.6 million of RESTORE funding last year for a new Carver Park Community Center. Last month, the county commission awarded a $216,195 contract to Dean Design Build, Inc. to design the new pre-manufactured modular building like the one recently completed at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park.

The preliminary site design is done and is set for a pre-application meeting on Wednesday with the Escambia County Development review committee.

The new facility will be located in the area of the existing Carver Park Resource Center and will be capable of accommodating a medium to large dividable meeting room, a warming kitchen, office space, a computer area and a storage room that can be utilized for food distribution, according to the county.

“I’m proud of another substantial county investment in the Carver Park community,” Escambia County District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. ” I could not be more thankful for the Cantonment Improvement Committee and all the positive changes they’ve spearheaded in their community over the last ten plus years.

“I can’t wait to see all the good work they will do and all the lives they will change in the new facility,” Barry continued.

The site plan also shows a new parking area with a drive-thru covered 12×12 canopy at the rear of the building. The current resource building will be moved and remain on site.

Pictured: The site design concept for a new Carver Park Community Center in Cantonment. Pictured inset: The 2015 ribbon cutting of the current Carver Park Resource Center. Pictured below: U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz meets with local citizens inside the current cramped resource center in 2018. Pictured bottom: The new Carver Park Community Center will be a modular building like the one recently completed at Ashton Brosnaham Athletic Park pictured during SEC soccer games on Saturday, April 6, 2024. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

3 Responses to “Design Underway For New Carver Park Community Center”

  1. Tom on April 9th, 2024 2:58 pm

    Over 200k for a design of a pre manufactured? Wow

  2. Debbie on April 9th, 2024 10:55 am

    We in Cottage Hill didn’t ask for this much in our small community but was turned down very quickly by Steve Barry . We have NOTHING for our young people NOTHING. Mr.Barry wasn’t even interested in looking into anything for our community except possibly something behind Jim Allen Elem. That’s not even close to where the biggest majority of kids live in Cottage Hill. We have some pretty good kids here but they need to have something to do. Just my opinion but I think we need someone who thinks our kids are worth something also.

  3. JJ on April 9th, 2024 9:25 am

    Century all over……
    Why are we paying $7,000.00 a square foot of design