Courtesy Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center[/caption]

The city of Conroe is considering major upgrades to two community pillars: the Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center and Conroe Aquatic Center.

Two feasibility studies were conducted by LMA Design to identify possible improvements on both centers. Both studies underline the need for more resources to help the facilities meet a growing demand.

"We have a lot of people moving to Conroe," City Administrator Paul Virgadamo said. "The swim center is packed in the summer. We have over 100,000 people going through there in the summer. ... [The] same with the Oscar Johnson, Jr. Community Center."

Study research included input from city staff, the community and focus groups. Lloyd Lentz, owner of LMA, presented the aquatic center study results to the Conroe City Council on Jan. 7 and the community center study results March 11.

The next step is for the council to assemble a task force to further examine the most viable options and create an official proposal for approval, said Rob Hamilton, Parks and Recreation Operations Manager. Approval, securing funding and construction contracts could take one to two years, he said. Community center needs

The Oscar Johnson Jr. Community Center opened in May 1994 with 31 children and adults using its services. Today more than 700 children and adults participate in center programs regularly, Virgadamo said.

"We have outgrown it," Hamilton said. "When you are in a growing city such as Conroe, the demand for services doesn't decrease or stay the same, it increases."

The center has seen an increase of about 48,000 visits per year—a 185 percent growth spurt since 2009. The facility needs at least 80,000 square feet of additional space to accommodate demand, according to the study.

The study found there is substantial demand from families where both parents work or single-parent families who rely on after-school programs for their children. The study also noted a need for ESL and GED classes as well as senior programs, which currently do not exist.

Additional programs, such as youth summer camps, sports, fitness and dance classes, and arts and crafts, were also proposed. Essentially, the need calls for a facility similar to the C.K. Ray Recreation Center, Hamilton said. Aquatic center needs

The aquatic study proposed building new aquatic facilities throughout the city to address growing demand.

The study suggested an additional public water park in the northern area of the city and recruiting a major private water park developer and operator.

Possible solutions include construction of splash pads within the city. Locations could include John Burge, Kasmiersky and Martin Luther King Jr. parks.

The proposals would require the acquisition of more land and the construction of a north regional aquatic center. The study also proposes construction of smaller regional aquatic centers.