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Assembly declines short-term funding to keep Joy Community Center open; advocates urge more time
Summary
A proposal to temporarily fund continued operation of the Joy Community Center failed after months of debate and a packed public hearing. User groups said closing the building would leave seniors, adaptive programs and youth with few indoor options.
The Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly rejected an appropriation to continue operating the Joy Community Center, a former school that has been used as a borough recreation and community facility. Sponsors Assemblymember David Guttenberg and Assemblymember Kristen Kelly proposed a short-term funding package designed to keep the center open while the administration develops a longer-term plan; the assembly voted the measure down after extensive public testimony.
Guttenberg said the center hosts adaptive recreation, senior programs, youth activities and community rentals and that the borough already pays heat and utilities for the building. He asked the assembly to cover the incremental operational cost for six months so staff could pursue longer-term tenants and a plan…
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