Live Oak weighs replacing John Hill Park building after $800,000 broadband grant

Parks Department staff told the City of Live Oak City Council that a Department of Commerce broadband grant of $800,000 will fund technology and program space for telehealth, workforce and education at the John Hill Park community building, and council members discussed whether to renovate the existing 75-year-old structure or replace it with a new building.

The park project drew attention because the grant requires program delivery tied to broadband access. "The three main elements of the scope of work were workforce, telehealth and education," Parks Department staff said during the presentation. Staff said the grant includes funding for technology but does not require a local match: "In this particular grant, there is no match required at all." The speaker added the grant carries program expectations for roughly the next five years.

Parks Department staff told the council the grant award is $800,000 and that other contributions already identified — including money from "Pilgrims" and a city set-aside — bring the total funds available for the project to roughly $1 million. "So roughly a million dollars we have to put into that project," the staff member said, and asked the council whether to invest in renovating the existing structure or to remove it and construct a larger, modern facility.

Staff described possible building features including meeting rooms, improved kitchen and restrooms, some Internet infrastructure and space configured to support career services and telehealth visits. The presenter said the building would not be a gymnasium but would be sized to support multipurpose uses and partnerships with outside providers: "CareerSource or some other, you know, career groups might go in there and have volunteers or have staff in there one or two days a week," Parks Department staff said.

Officials noted the park is maintained under an interlocal agreement with the county. "The Shawnee County Recreation Board is an interlocal agreement between the city and the county," Parks Department staff said, explaining that the county had applied for and accepted the grant and that the parks board would coordinate with the city on expenditures.

Council members asked about the building footprint, parking and how previously planned restroom work would fit into the larger project. Parks Department staff said the restroom work would be incorporated into the reconstruction plan and that the team would coordinate funding through the grant and existing local contributions. The staff member described likely construction materials for a new building as a metal building with a front brick or stucco facade to improve appearances.

Council discussion did not produce a formal motion. One council member said, "I don't think we need action," and the council did not take a vote; staff said they would continue to run numbers and report back. Parks Department staff told the council they would work with finance staff and local partners to finalize how the various funding sources would be used.

The city faces a decision about investing locally on a building that dates to the 1940s: renovate the existing structure or use roughly $1 million in combined funding to build a new facility designed specifically for broadband-enabled telehealth, workforce and education services. Staff will return with more detailed cost estimates and plans for council consideration.