City of Green previews 'The Core' community center; memberships, tours and Nov. 15 grand opening announced

City of Green officials on June 24 laid out the final months of work and the programming plan for the Core, a new community recreation and education facility shared with Green Local Schools.

Valerie Carr, the city’s service director, said staff will begin moving into the building in July to test systems and equipment ahead of a community tour scheduled for Aug. 22 and a grand opening on Nov. 15. "We want them in that building physically so that…when you're living in a new house, you see things like, oh, why did we put that window there? We need to move this around," Carr said during the presentation.

Zach Kaufman, the facility’s initial supervisor, walked council through recent photos of the site and described the main spaces: a gym area shared with Green Middle School, an indoor turf field, an upstairs walking track, studio rooms and a rooftop terrace. Kaufman said the indoor turf and track installation were scheduled to be completed by the end of June and described plans to post a public availability calendar and daily monitors so residents can see when spaces are open.

Katie Jaworski, the city’s recreation programmer, outlined equipment and program choices targeted at youth sports and seniors. The city is seeking SilverSneakers certification so some seniors can participate at no direct cost to them. Jaworski said the Core will emphasize sports‑performance equipment with options that fold or store to preserve floor space and include self‑powered, ADA‑friendly machines.

Officials described membership and licensing plans: youth organizations will continue to operate under license agreements (three‑year cycles) with scheduling priority aligned to school use; individual memberships will be available for purchase beginning Aug. 1; and the city will offer a charter promotion for early sign‑ups that provides 13½ months for an introductory fee. The administration presented a $100 introductory individual charter‑member price for the first year and encouraged residents to sign up early.

Carr and Kaufman said staffing will include a blend of city hires (part‑time rec assistants) and contracted instructors for classes and programming. On security, Carr said access will use swipe credentials and checks similar to school security protocols because the Core is attached to school property.

Council members asked about rooftop access, community events and public 'open gym' time; officials said rooftop use will generally require membership or a daily fee but that city‑coordinated community events could sometimes be free to participants. Kaufman said school hours will retain priority through 5 p.m. in some gym spaces and the city will provide publicly accessible schedules so residents can plan visits.

The presentation closed with a reminder that more information and slides will be available on the city website, and staff invited council and residents to the open house and fall opening activities.