SOLON — By unanimous vote the Solon City Council approved renewing the lease agreement between the Solon Community School District (SCSD) and the City of Solon for the Solon Community Center. For several years the city has leased part of the former Solon Middle School at 301 South Iowa Street for use as a community center while the SCSD maintains its administrative offices in the 1917 “tower structure” on the north end.
The city utilizes the gymnasium (except between the hours of 3-6:00 p.m. during the school year), lobby and adjacent offices (for the parks and recreation director), lobby and auditorium bathrooms, cafeteria and kitchen, band room and music room, batting cages, lower level weight room, and the auditorium lobby with use of the auditorium. In addition the city leases six classrooms, which are in turn used by Jordan Creek Church.
The city pays $1 per year for the use of the facility and pays $1,833.50 for gas and electric between April 1 and August 31 (2024), and will pay $3,667 from Sept. 1 through March 31, 2025, under the lease agreement with the SCSD.
High utility costs as well as a high maintenance cost for the aging heating and cooling systems as well as the costs associated with bringing the building into Americans with Disability Act (ADA) requirements were all factors in the SCSD’s decision to pursue a new, smaller, and energy-efficient administrative facility. This was one of six projects included in the $25.5 million bond issue, which voters approved last year. Work is already underway on other bond projects including expansion of the intermediate school and creating a dedicated transportation facility (“bus barn”) on the north edge of Solon.
The city and the district also are continuing discussions toward the possibility of an indoor multipurpose activities facility for the district that could also be used by the city as part of a new recreation and community center. The district has an indoor activities facility included in the bond, which would provide additional practice space for athletic teams as well as for groups such as marching band and archery. However, a location for the facility has yet to be determined.