- November 28, 2024
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Ormond Beach’s Greg Smith will donate $100,000 for a new multipurpose building at the complex.
BY WAYNE GRANT | CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A local businessman has promised to donate $100,000 for the construction of a multipurpose building at the Ormond Beach Sports Complex. And all he’s asking for in return is a city match.
Leisure Services Director Robert Carolin asked the Ormond Beach City Commission, at its July 30 meeting, for approval to start building plans using the donation from resident Greg Smith, along with recreation fees, Seabreeze High School fees and money from the general fund.
Doug Thomas, a member of the Leisure Services Advisory Board, said that Smith wanted to focus his donation on recreation, if the city would match it, and Thomas suggested the multipurpose building.
Commissioner Rick Boehm called Smith very public-spirited, noting that his children took part in Ormond Beach recreation.
“He believes in Ormond Beach kids,” Boehm said.
Carolin said the need for a multipurpose building had been discussed for years in the recreation community. The building would be located at Field 7, which is a stadium-style field where football and soccer games attract large crowds. It would provide space for equipment storage, meeting space, locker rooms and restrooms.
“Right now, we’re using Porta-Potties out there,” Carolin said.
Boehm added that the building could be used for shelter in the event of lightning.
“There’s (currently) no place for these kids to go,” he said.
The guaranteed maximum price for a 5,524-square-foot facility, according to Carolin, is $403,698, from A.M. Weigel Construction Inc.
City Manager Joyce Shanahan said that by using the donations and fees, only about $20,000 would be required from the city’s general fund for construction.
The commission unanimously approved going forward with the project. The next step will be for the Leisure Services Department to develop a construction contract and bring it to the commission for approval.
Carolin said that after the contract is approved, three months would be required for design and permitting and four months for construction.
City adds bite to its current animal-control ordinance
The city has changed the wording in its ordinance that prohibits allowing pets from running loose, making the law more enforceable.
The ordinance previously stated that “no owner or keeper of any animal shall knowingly and intentionally permit such animal to run at large at any time.” The change approved July 30 removes the words “knowingly and intentionally,” which officials say made it more difficult to enforce, since owners could claim that they did not “knowingly or intentionally” let their dogs out.
But Assistant City Attorney Ann-Margret Emery said the change will not affect “99%” of dog owners.
“There are just a few bad apples that don’t take care of their animals and let them run at large,” she said. “Some people just don’t care.”
She said the wording will allow citations to be issued to repeat offenders.
“Our goal is not to fine people,” she said. “Our goal to get compliance, to get people to be more responsible.”
The wording now matches the wording in similar ordinances in Holly Hill and Volusia County.
