FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – Florence County Council approved more money for the new Timmonsville community center at its meeting on Thursday.
Florence County Council Chairman, Kent Caudle, said the project is still in its beginning phases, but said there is a set location for the new center.
“We’ve already demolished the old building, we’ve got the permits to build, we’ve already made an agreement with the design company, and it’s progressing now,” said Caudle.
Caudle said the project will cost more than one million dollars, and will be paid for with the Capital Project Sales Tax.
“It won’t affect taxpayers,” he said. “There are funds that Councilman Kirby has in his allocation for paving, and infrastructure money.”
Last year, Florence County Council asked the Florence School District Four schools board to donate the land where the old Timmonsville High school used to sit.
“The district wanted us to buy the land,” Caudle explained. “They wanted $250,000 for it, which would have reduced the amount we could put in the community center directly because we have a certain amount allocated for it.”
Caudle said instead of using the land the old Timmonsville High School was on, the county decided to build the center on land it already owns.
“It was the old BC Moore property in downtown Timmonsville,” Caudle told News13. “[The County] Demolished it, and that’s where we’re going to put it.”
Timmonsville resident, Darrell McFadden, said he wished there was a community center in the area when he was in school.
“It’s time for us to have our own instead of kids joining in recreation in Florence,” said McFadden. “We do not have it here in Timmonsville. They want to gather with friends instead of people in our community having to take our kids to Florence.”
McFadden said he wants the new community center to be a place for the youth in the area to have a positive place to learn and grow.
“If you have a center, or something, to evaluate your time after school, and it relaxes their minds of doing evil things or committing any crimes or following the wrong directions,” McFadden said.
Caudle said the new center is open to people of all ages.
“It will have gathering hall, I don’t know the size, but we’re going to build it as big as we can, as flexible as we can, with as much money as we have available,” said Caudle.
The Chairman said he wants the new facility to be utilized to its fullest ability.
“It will have a kitchen so food can be prepared and served,” Caudle said after the meeting. “It will probably have a stage for plays and dances; things like that.”
Caudle said the new community center will be a place for community meetings to be held.
“We’re kind of meeting an unmet need for people to gather,” Caudle said.
Caudle said he’s unsure of when construction will start, and that council still needs to meet with the architects to design the building.
