The possibility of having a “Community Center” in Fairmont has been on the table for several years. The proponents of the Fairmont Area Community Center state that it will be a positive addition to Fairmont and the entire area. The venue will have a fieldhouse/gymnasium, a track, and indoor aquatic center, Fairmont youth hockey, an ice arena, multi-purpose community rooms, exercise studios, and more including a YMCA. The project is supported by many yet also questioned by some. To gain perspective, it may be helpful to consider what the past reveals about some of the recreational opportunities previously available and how they might compare to the current proposal.

What about an indoor aquatic center? Fairmont at one time had an indoor swimming pool. It was located in what is today known as the Fairmont Elementary School on Victoria Street. The school district and the city originally entered into an agreement whereby the city would provide water and electricity and the school would provide the heat. The director’s salary would be shared equally by both entities. Excavation for the $602,064.00 project, financed equally by the city and school district, began in 1970. Tim Garry was hired in 1971 to be the pool manager and swimming instructor for the school district. The plan for the pool was for the school to have use of the pool on school days until 4 p.m. and the general public after that time and on weekends and holidays. Following a $304,000.00 renovation in 1986, the new recreation director, Susan Silker, proposed recreation/family time and discussed the therapeutic value of the pool for senior citizens and handicapped swimmers. Fitness swimming and aquacize classes were also offered. In 1986, a task force was organized in an attempt to determine more uses for the pool facility. Eventually, the demise of the pool was apparently a result of a number of factors including the costs of maintenance and up keep in addition to some disagreement as to which entity was ultimately responsible.

A community resource that was at one time available for multi-purpose use was the old National Guard Armory located at 209 N. Main Street. It was purchased by the city for $12,000.00 in 1974. The number of offerings provided by this facility was staggering. This venue provided countless activities including dance exercise, aerobic exercise programs, lunch hour workouts, basketball, badminton, archery, shuffle board, parent and child activities for 3 to 5 year olds, indoor golf driving range, horseshoes, lunch hour workouts, open gym, volleyball, table tennis, roller skating, dog obedience training, and more. The old armory was demolished in 1985 when it was determined to be unsafe for the public due to a ruined roof and crumbling ceiling.

Another recreational option, designated specifically for the youth of the area, was known as the May Ward Pfiffner Recreational Youth Center. It was located at 124 E. 1st St., currently the site of a parking lot to the east of the Photo Press. It had previously been the location of the city power plant and later the American Legion Hall. The Youth Center became a reality as a result of a $48,000.00 bequest from Harold Ward Pfiffner to the city of Fairmont for that purpose. It was named after his mother, May Ward Pfiffner. The Youth Center had a main auditorium for dancing, a stage, and a game room that included pool tables, ping pong tables, and pinball games. It also had a kitchen with all the modern equipment of the era. Of course, its “Rules of Conduct” were conspicuously displayed for all to see.

What led to the demise of the Youth Center? According to the November 12, 1981, edition of the Sentinel, the city was contemplating the sale of the Youth Center and considering moving youth activities to the old armory site. Rising maintenance costs and limited Youth Center uses of the building were cited as impacting the decision to sell the building. In addition, the story mentioned vandalism and it being considered a “rough place” playing into the decision to sell. Thus, its fate was sealed and is now but a distant memory.

The needs and wants of society change over time, frequently as a result of external and unpredictable influences, such as the internet. Would the previously mentioned venues be utilized today to the extent that they were in the past? Could the proposed community center incorporate the most utilized aspects of those previously mentioned opportunities and add more into one concise facility today? If the community center becomes a reality, will it be able to cope with and evolve with an ever changing society? These are but some of the questions that need to be considered, or may well have been considered, prior to it coming to fruition.

For more information on this topic, or to become a member, visit the Pioneer Museum in Fairmont or its website at www.fairmont.org/mchs