First Public Meeting Held for the Wilmington Community Recreation Center Fund
- Apr 22
- 3 min read
A public meeting for the Wilmington Community Recreation Center Fund was held on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, from 6pm to 7pm at the City of Wilmington Municipal Building.
Attendees included Josh Roth, Port Authority Economic Development Director; Sheri McIntosh, Realtor Alliance of Greater Cincinnati President (Clinton County Chapter); Dustin Pearce, owner of Bite Size Market; Tony Long, retired superintendent of the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center; Jason Stoops, owner of Midnight Auto Repair; and other community members.
The meeting opened with an overview of the Wilmington YMCA closure in 2015 and the failed Clinton County joint recreation district levy in 2019. Attendees also discussed the newly created Wilmington Community Recreation Center Fund at the Clinton County Foundation. The initial $25,000 goal is intended to serve as "seed funding" toward building or renovating a rec center.
Participants reviewed several other recent community recreation centers in Ohio, including the $10.4M and 38,000 sq/ft Sandusky Recreation Center; the $14.9M and 53,000 sq/ft CORE Center in Green; the $110M and 10,000 sq/ft Well Center in Hilliard, the $78M and 188,500 sq/ft proposed rec center in Grove City; and the $10M and 38,000 sq/ft rec center in Euclid.
Pearce mentioned being surprised to hear a local real estate agent say, "People don't want to live in Wilmington, they'd rather live in Springboro or Lebanon where there are things to do." McIntosh added that Wilmington is becoming a "commuter community," where people roll in at 8am and are out by 5pm—without attending our local churches or shopping at our local businesses—and that now is the time to get support for a community recreation center.
The group then discussed ideas for a Wilmington and Clinton County recreation center, including potential users, amenities, owners, locations, and funding sources for construction and operations:
Users: The group discussed a variety of users, including "sports tourism", such as youth baseball and soccer leagues, which has the added benefit of economic development, though decided that a greater economic benefit would be to local employers, as a benefit to their employees. Roth added that the users will guide what funds are available.
Amenities: The group discussed having basketball courts, a running track, swimming pool, child care, golf simulator, tennis courts that can also be used for pickleball, and soccer field that also houses batting cages. McIntosh suggested renting space to healthcare providers, like Wilmington College's Center for Sport Sciences does, to help cover ongoing costs. A gym was low on the list of amenities, as the private market is already filling this need.
Ownership: The group discussed ownership options, including government, nonprofit, and a public-private partnership. Roth mentioned that county ownership might require partnerships through a Park Board, Visitors Bureau, or Port Authority, and that the city might be a better "long-term" option—though the legality and pros and cons of each would need evaluated.
Location: McIntosh mentioned East End Elementary would be "very difficult" because of lead paint, asbestos, limited parking, and no room for expansion. Stoops thought Kroger relocating felt unlikely. The group discussed the idea of building a facility by Denver Park and Lynne Lane for easier access for the entire county. Roth liked the idea of building by Wilmington High School, but was also excited about Long's suggestion of near Laurel Oaks.
Funding: Roth didn't think the project would qualify for JobsOhio $1M grant, and warned that taking federal funds could increase the project costs due to prevailing wage. Roth also suggested to build with no debt because of the ongoing operating expenses. Pearce felt strongly that it should not be funded with additional tax levies. Other funding ideas discussed were memberships and facility rentals, such as for cheerleading competitions.
The group stressed that "flexibility is key" for the space, as some amenities that were once popular, like racketball, are not popular as much anymore. Another point was that some amenities, like a pool, are expensive, and could be in a "phase two or three". Finally, Roth added that a rec center could help employers meet their wellness goals to reduce insurance costs.
The next steps are ongoing fundraising efforts for the initial $25,000 needed to start the Wilmington Community Recreation Center Fund at the Clinton County Foundation. So far, $1,664 has been raised on GoFundMe. Members from the group will have a booth at Celebrate Trails Day on Saturday, April 25, 2026, outside of Wheelies at 171 S Mulberry St, Wilmington, OH 45177. There will be chocolate croissants from Trail Haus available for donations.
To get involved with fundraising, please email wilmingtonreccenter@gmail.com. Upcoming meetings are on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at The City of Wilmington Municipal Building from 6pm to 7pm.
