Improvements continue at Lucas County Rec Center without cost to taxpayers
WTOL Toledo
Jan. 8, 2012
Major improvements continue at the Lucas County Recreation Center in Maumee, but they're not costing taxpayers a dime because of a unique, ongoing private/public arrangement.
On Saturday, a new indoor practice facility opened featuring batting cages, hitting stations and baseball and softball infields.
In addition, the building can also be converted into soccer, lacrosse and football fields.
The county owns all the facilities at the center, which are leased out to the private firm Great Sports. "We felt we could restore it. Get the children off the streets and help them out. With the obesity problem in the area, we felt we could do something good here," said Jim DiNoto of Great Sports.
Lucas County Rec. Center renovations
Fox News Toledo
Jan. 7, 2012
The Lucas County Rec-Center gets a facelift. It was the opening of a new indoor practice facility on Saturday.
Linedrive Sports took over the Rec Center back in 2009, then Champion Sports Academy took over in 2010. Both companies formed a partnership to create Great Sports with a new initiative in mind.
"I think these guys might have thought I was a little crazy at first telling them what I wanted to do because I couldn't explain the vision but I had the vision and the guys supported that vision and got it done," said owner Jim Beaverson.
It's a new indoor facility to make up for the old one. On Saturday inside the Lucas County Rec Center children from all ages got to try out the newly renovated Great Sports facility. Beaverson says his goal for the indoor recreation is to not only keep the youth out of trouble, but to also get them more active.
