What you need to know
Along with the name change, Conroe City Council members also approved adding four new staff positions—a community programs manager, a facility and rentals coordinator, and two employees for senior services—to help manage the expanded operations of the new 87,000-square-foot facility, which replaces the former 5,000-square-foot center.
Deputy City Administrator Nancy Mikeska said the added roles are needed to oversee programming, rentals and events across the 20 parks in the city’s department.
“It would be unrealistic to move from a 5,000-square-foot facility into an 87,000-square-foot facility with the same number of people,” council member David Hairel said.
Although the city remains under a hiring freeze, the positions will be included in the FY 2026-27 budget, Mikeska said.
City Administrator Gary Scott said they may later request additional hires as operational demands grow.
“Originally there were 16 to 18 people that [we] were going to have to hire for this,” Scott said. “And so the mere fact that it's only going to be two people, and they're reorganizing and moving people and shifting people is ... amazing.”
Diving in deeper
According to a presentation, council members were presented options for the name change, which included:
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Campus
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Center for Community & Wellness
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Impact Center
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Life & Learning Center
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Regional Community Hub
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Enrichment & Recreation Center
- Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Recreation & Resource Complex
How we got here
Plans for a new community center began with a feasibility study in 2014, as previously reported.
In July 2023, city officials broke ground on the new center, highlighting expanded space and services for youth, seniors and community programs.
Before you go
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled Sept. 9 from 2-5 p.m., with remarks at 3 p.m. The building will not open for public use until staff have fully transitioned to the new facility, Mikeska said.
