Reopening of L.R. Jackson Center still a no-go as summer nears

Reopening of L.R. Jackson Center still a no-go as summer nears

WM Council balks at approving proposed senior adult activities

news@theeveningtimes.com

The clock is ticking down to the final bell before West Memphis students are out of school for the summer, but the City Council has yet to make arrangements to re-open the L.R. Jackson Neighborhood Center.

Council members voted to close the building for health and safety reasons after it discovered the building ransacked and vandalized in 2014. The center had been scheduled as a polling place but when city officials opened the door to election officials they found garbage strewn around the gym, stopped up plumbing overflowing, and broken windows, electrical sockets and light fixtures throughout the facility.

Council ordered the building shuttered and the neighborhood center at 1300 E.

Polk has stood vacant ever since. The West Memphis School District made an offer on the building and adjacent Horton Park for the combined Wonder and Jackson campus, but city council turned that down as well.

“They offered us next to nothing for it,” said Councilman Willis Mondy in the last work special work session. “We need something in there for our community and it needs to be run by our community.”

Only one idea had been proposed for the center which was a lease to a Jonesboro organization for a limited senior adult day care program. The idea was rejected in the work session because it would not have been open to the public and the group was based in Jonesboro instead of West Memphis. No other plans will be ready in time for summer vacation.

The issue moved to full city council for consideration. Councilmen moved to put off any farther consideration for the proposed tenant, tabling the proposal during the May 3rd council meeting.

“We did meet and (Councilman) Willis (Mondy) thought it will require some more thought,” said Councilwoman Ramona Taylor.

“I’m in the process of looking for alternatives. We need to table it anyway.”

The community center continued undergoing renovations with Community Development Block Grant funds. This summer school vacation marks the fourth year the center has remained closed.

By John Rech