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Bay Oaks renovation moves toward May opening; town weighs equipment storage, pickleball expansion and staffing
Summary
Staff reported floor grinding, new HVAC installations and epoxy work at Bay Oaks Rec Center and described bids for groundwork and courts for a planned pickleball expansion. Town staff also discussed purchasing fitness equipment, the logistics and costs to move equipment out before hurricanes, and hiring and summer-program timelines.
Town staff updated the Bay Oaks Recreational Campus Advisory Board on renovation progress and near-term operational planning at the April 16 meeting. Work on the rec center interior includes floor grinding, vapor-barrier application and planned epoxy coatings; staff said they remain on track for a May reopening if schedules hold.
Staff reported two new commercial HVAC air-handler units have been installed and that electrical work will begin shortly. The contractor will apply epoxy floor coatings after preparatory work; staff explained epoxy cure times may be two to three weeks and that the epoxy will be extended up the wall by a few inches to form a stronger vapor seal.
Procurement and construction related to Bay Oaks' outdoor facilities were also discussed. The town is placing two bids for Bay Oaks grounds work: one for groundwork/preparation and another for the actual installation of turf and pickleball courts. Staff said the project will require at least four courts and may reach eight if budget allows and site geometry permits. A resurfacing proposal from Ziffer Courts for the tennis court resurfacing arrived and staff expect the work to require two days when scheduled.
On funding tied to larger grants, staff said the county review is complete and the project is awaiting HUD review before procurement for pool-related work can proceed. Neil Mathis, the staff liaison, said the matter remains in federal review: "They're still in review. We haven't gotten much back from them. We still have weekly meetings, but it's still in review with the county and HUD." (Neil Mathis, staff liaison.)
Staff also covered planned equipment purchases and hurricane risk management. The town has selected a vendor for strength and cardio equipment and hoped to place orders promptly to avoid tariff-driven price increases. Staff provided a vendor estimate to move and store fitness equipment off-site ahead of storms: two trucks and four workers for one to two days, with a one- to two-day transport cost quoted at roughly $5,500 to $6,000 and about $500 per day storage. Staff noted they would verify warranty and calibration impacts with vendors before moving units and that an arrangement with a moving/storage contractor could make the town a priority when storms approach.
Staff described programming and staffing plans for reopening: summer programs begin June 9; staff are hiring a senior recreation coordinator and two 30-hour year-round recreation assistants and expect to hire additional part‑time staff for summer programming. Staff also said they plan to prorate or otherwise credit memberships that were paid before the center's extended closure.
Events and community engagement were included: staff reported a well-attended Easter event with roughly 200 people and described plans for a grand opening or soft opening timed to equipment deliveries and staffing readiness.
