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Councilman Andrew Ferguson urges driveway plan to save Demorest gym
Summary
Demorest city officials discussed additional damage and community concern over the municipal gym on Jan. 6; Councilman Andrew Ferguson proposed routing a driveway through the building to preserve the gym while avoiding tree root damage associated with a previously approved parking plan. Local nonprofits signaled interest in using the facility.
City Manager Mark Musselwhite told the Demorest City Council at the Jan. 6 work session that the municipal gym has sustained additional damage and that the closure has drawn multiple complaints from residents.
Councilman Andrew Ferguson proposed an option to create a driveway through the gym building to preserve the facility rather than demolish it to make room for parking. Ferguson argued the gym is important to the community and noted that implementing the previously approved parking plan would place the lot inside the tree drip line and risk root damage.
Mr. Musselwhite said representatives from Rapids Soccer Academy and Freedom Hill have expressed interest in using the gym; Mitch, a representative of Freedom Hill, said yard sales and similar events could also be hosted there to raise awareness for the nonprofit. A resident who spoke during public comment praised the open gym's positive community impact and urged the council to explore enhanced security measures to permit reopening, saying that a small number of people’s misconduct led to the closure.
The transcript records discussion of tradeoffs—protecting a mature tree versus removing it to create parking—and community uses for the facility. The work session record does not show a formal decision or vote on whether to alter the previously approved parking plan or to authorize construction of a driveway through the gym.
