New Look for Ocracoke Community Center

said Community Center Board Chair Barbara Jemison. 

The first renovations happened last week.  The bar was removed, and the small railed area near the storage closet is now a seamless part of the floor.  The storage closet was moved and abuts the restrooms.  Four new windows, that open, were added.

"Let there be light," said Jemison.

Jemison and the board, all newly appointed by Hyde Commissioners in March, hope to raise the dance pit so it is level with the rest of the floor, and remove the railings.  This will allow users to design the space to their needs, said Jemison.  The stage will remain and be slightly raised.  

One flat space can accommodate square dances and the soap box derby, she said.  Purchasing round tables will create a more formal feel than lunch room tables, making the center more appealing as a wedding and party venue.  Because of budget constraints, these changes are a few years down the road. 

The Community Center, originally the 3/4 Dance Hall and Saloon, was purchased with Occupancy Tax funds, and the county holds the deed. 

It is most frequently used for public meetings and by government agencies, like Social Services and DMV, when they are on the island.  The venue also plays host to dances, weddings and other celebrations, concerts, and exercise classes. 

The annual budget of about $18,000 comes from the Occupancy Tax, said Jemison.  The funds are spent on utilities, maintenance, cleaning, and coordinating contracts.   $6,500 of this years budget was designated for capital improvements. 

$4000 of that has been spent on the grounds.  The parking lot was graded and graveled.  In July, a handicapped parking space and cement path will be added.

The new board, whose other members are David Bundy, Margarita Gonzales, Katherine Parker-Lowe and Jim Pierson, want to landscape and improve the look and use of the outside. 

"At functions, people always end up sitting outside on the railing," observed Jemison.  Since the parking area adjacent to Highway 12 is deeper than a car length, the opportunity exists to add a deck, with built in benches, and shrubs across the front of the building.

The Community Center generates about $5000 each year in user fees for private events, which goes into the general county budget.   The new board is asking the Occupancy Tax board to recommend a resolution identifying the income from the Community Center, and designating that it be set aside only to be used by the Community Center, said Jemison. 

"More income means less of a budget request," she said.  The board is also considering asking non-governmental organizations for a modest user fee, of $50 per year.  "Right now nobody pays.  It will help with electric, water, wear and tear, and cleaning," said Jemison.

Looking ahead, the board plans to add new hardwood floors once the space is all one level.  Not much of the old hardwood is left due to repeated sanding, said Jemison.  For now, it will be a combination of plywood and hardwood.

"This project is a long time coming," said Jemison.  The board is moving forward a little at a time, working within the confines of their budget, and focusing on affordable materials.

An application for a Saltwater Connections grant, for $10,000, may held speed up the process. 

"We are trying, as a group, as a board, to have this facility be complementary to any kind of venue," said Jemison.

To book your event at the Community Center, contact ocracokecommunitycenter@yahoo.com.