More people visiting Osage Centre after renovations

The newly recoined Osage Centre has a shorter name -- drop the Community -- and more people are going following a $2.5 million renovation that tripled the size of the fitness area as well as added space for meetings, a classroom and offices.

City officials will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. Thursday at the 13-year-old center, though the bulk of the work was finished in October, said Penny Williams, the city's recreation division manager.

"This facility has something for every age group," Williams said. "I am proud of the fact that we service a whole spectrum of the community."

The facility at 1425 N. Kingshighway is one of the city's most used spaces for meetings and special events, as well as recreational and play activities, she said. The renovation was the second phase of a project, the first being the higher-profile Family Aquatics Center.

Both were paid for by the parks/storm-water sales tax approved by voters in 2008.

The renovation added almost 5,000 square feet in meeting space, a 1,000-square-foot shower area, created a 5,256-square-foot fitness area that is surrounded by a track.

"It was kind of left in the shadows of the water park," said Danny Essner, chairman of the city's Parks and Recreation Department advisory board. "But the Osage Centre is used extensively. It's basically a low-cost recreation venue for the citizens of Cape."

Customers pay $2 per visit to get in. And more are doing so since the renovation. According to official counts, 3,812 people visited the center in both October and November, which is up by about 1,500 from the same months in 2009. This figure accounts for only people attending the fitness area and does not include meeting participants, Williams said.

The ribbon cutting was held off until all of the equipment arrived, she said.

The name was changed from Osage Community Centre to the Osage Centre, she said, because that's what people were calling it anyway.

"It's simpler," she said. "We just wanted to conform and simplify things."

Essner, Mayor Harry Rediger and city manager Scott Meyer are expected to make brief presentations at the ribbon cutting. The public is invited to attend.

smoyers@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

1425 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.