The process to develop the Berlin Community Center is continuing as town officials seek input from members of the public on desired amenities and features in a survey.
A small parcel of land slated for a community center is pictured in Berlin off of Flower Street.
File photo
By Tara Fischer, Staff Writer
The process to develop Berlin’s Community Center is continuing as the town is seeking input from the public on desired amenities and features.
The community center will be located at 130 Flower Street, formerly the site of Flower Street School, a learning institution that operated in the early 20th century. The goal is for the new recreational space to offer meeting rooms, services, and fitness and sports-related activities to which Berlin residents will have access.
Last month, the town was awarded $100,000 from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Development Block Grant for the initiative. The money will be used for preliminary architectural and engineering services.
“Not only are we just building a community center, but we’re preserving a site of history for our town and our community that goes back generations,” Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall said. “… there’s that fabric of who we are and what we stand for. And we will bring that to life in our new community center.”
Special Projects Administrator Kate Daub said efforts to create a functional center are moving forward, as residents can now complete a survey on what kinds of activities they would like to see offered. The survey is in partnership with BEACON (Business, Economic, and Community Outreach Network at Salisbury University) and is open to the public, not just Berlin residents.
The form includes options that participants can choose from, like fitness classes, arts and crafts workshops, health and wellness services, federal and state programs like WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children), educational programs like job readiness and enrichment classes, social events like community meals and game nights, sports and recreation, summer camps and after school tutoring, and senior activities.
On the survey, Berlin community members can also indicate which features they believe are important to include in the center, such as a gymnasium, a swimming pool, art studios, a kitchen, a computer lab, exercise equipment, and community gathering space.
Residents are to note how often and what timeframe they and their household expect to use the community center upon its completion.
Survey participants are encouraged to complete the form online or pick up a paper copy at Berlin Town Hall, the Berlin branch of the Worcester County Public Library, the Berlin First Baptist Church, Pentecostal Baptist Church, Church of Christ, Saint Paul United Methodist Church, Buckingham Presbyterian Church, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, Tyree ACME Church, or Temple Bat Yam.
The completed hard copy can be returned to Berlin Town Hall in an envelope labeled with the BEACON return address. The survey will close on Friday, Oct. 4. The responses will be sent directly to the Salisbury University group to ensure no personal information is shared.
At the conclusion of the survey, responders who live in the Town of Berlin can enter a drawing to win one of five $100 gift cards or a certificate for a scoop of ice cream from Island Creamery Main Street.