STEUBENVILLE - The Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center will adopt shorter operating hours from Oct.1 until April 1 after the city's Parks and Recreation Board board Wednesday night adopted a new winter schedule.
Recreation Director Troy Kirkendall and the MLK Center staff recommended the new operating hours following a 10-month survey of people using the recreation center throughout the day and evening.
The board unanimously approved the winter hours schedule.
The recreation center will be open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Fridays and 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturdays.
"I am glad the staff came to the meeting tonight so they could discuss this issue. They know the attendance and when people stop coming to the center," noted board member Jason Jenkins.
In other matters, Kirkendall announced a cleanup at Beatty Park is scheduled Oct. 5-6.
"Last year the volunteers cleaned from Beatty Park to Union Cemetery. This year we hope to clean the brush from Union Cemetery into the park and the Jabby Young Trail that runs from Pleasant Heights into the park. We are expecting volunteers from the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce as well as community participants," explained Kirkendall.
And Councilman at large Kenny Davis invited the recreation board members to attend a cookout set for 3 p.m. Sept. 20 at Beatty Park.
"Sixth Ward Councilman David Lalich and 1st Ward Councilman Gerald DiLoreto have organized an event to allow the community to get reacquainted with Beatty Park. We will be cooking hot dogs and have chips, soda and water all free of charge for people visiting the park that evening," said Davis.
In other business, the board:
Approved a facility rental request from Dawuud Abdullah who will hold a voter registration informational meeting and drive from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 27 in the MLK Recreation Center Activity Room.
Kirkendall said the two-hour event is non-partisan.
The next recreation board meeting is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 10.
