A Place to Play

If all goes as planned, young locals will soon have a place to expel all that youthful energy.

The city recently finished a rendering of the Old Town Gymnasium project, a 9,000 square foot gym adjacent to the of Southwest County on Pujol Street.

The city’s architect is finalizing plans and specifications for the building, which is expected to be complete within two years, said Herman Parker, director of Temecula’s Community Services Department.

The final plans should be completed within the next couple of weeks and once approved, the city expects to break ground on the project in the late summer or early fall, he said.

The project will go up in two phases. The first phase includes prep work, setting up utilities, lighting and parking improvements, Parker said today during a phone interview.

Although the building is “a very simple gymnasium,” Parker said it would serve a much-needed hole in Temecula entertainment.

 “There’s really nothing like that in the Old Town area,” he said, adding “it will be a great recreational,” outlet for Temecula children.

The location of the new gym will let the club host basketball leagues and other activities for children living nearby, in an area that includes affordable housing developments, condominiums and apartments.

The gym design includes a large court for games such as basketball and volleyball, stadium bleachers, bathrooms, an office and storage.

The gymnasium, initially projected to cost about $2.5 million, is a joint effort between the city and the Boys & Girls Club of Southwest County. The city will cover the costs of building the gym, but the club will manage it and pay the maintenance fees. The city has been saving up the funds for the project since 2002.

The city should have a projected dollar estimate within the next few months, Parker said.