Hanna Recreation Center reopens

Following devastating flood damage, recreation center is open one month later

When Vivian Gonzales came into the Hanna Recreation Center on December 17, the place was flooded. Pipes had burst in the kitchen area and water made its way, almost, to the aerobic room. The director of the recreation center knew the repairs were going to shut the facility down for some time but she didn't dare guess for how long.

She recounted the events leading to the recreation center's closing.

"We estimate the pipes burst on Monday morning at 2:30 to 3 a.m. Gonzales said. "When Dale (Morton from public works) walked in at 7:10 a.m. on Tuesday morning, the flood was discovered. David (Sutter), the water sewer operator, said that somewhere between 25,000 to 30,000 gallons came through those pipes."

She said the pipes sprayed the water all over the kitchen and water flooded to the front desk area and meeting rooms that were in the front of the building. These sustained the most serious water damage.

The building was fortunate most of the water flooded to the front area, although some water did go to the pool sector.

"There was a drain in the kitchen, but it couldn't handle this amount of water and the water did get to the pool area," Gonzales explained. "We have four drains there, but it backed up and flowed back to the front."

Gonzales said if the pipes had burst on a Saturday night, there was a chance, the flooding would not have been discovered for a couple days, doing much more destruction.

"All of the fast actions and clean up efforts saved us from more permanent damage," Gonzales said. "Tina (May) and Beth (Kostovny) were here at 10 a.m. and helped so much get the water out along with public works."

Gonzales said another positive was that the front had steel beams versus wood.

She said the carpet had damage but some parts of it could be salvaged.

"First the carpet is not a continuous carpet, these are carpet squares (tiles). This carpet was replaced just four years ago and it is indoor outdoor carpet that is glued to a cement floor," Gonzales said. "No padding and no subfloor to worry about growing mold. Also the studs in the walls are metal studs, so no wood will be getting any mold growth."

After a few week of constant cleaning, Gonzales is confident the members will not have any smells to contend with.

"The carpets I shampooed came out clean, so the building has no smell of mildew," Gonzales said.

She said, considering how bad it could have been, she is relieved it is not worse.

"I am, however, worried about the second range in the kitchen and the microwave. They were full of water as well. I think the insurance just mentions one range being damaged," Gonzales said.

The insurance funds have been issued and health and fire inspectors have permitted the building safe to start business. The town engineer has been gone through the building and made his recommendations.

"We can reopen for business as usual without, obviously, the use of the kitchen, the front office and the bike room, which those all can be placed in other rooms so they can get used," Gonzales said. "The closing hurt the special we had going for the month of December."

She said the 20 percent savings for signing up will continue until the end of January. For those who paid for a full year membership, they will add another month.

She said members are happy to hear the recreation center is getting ready to be back on track to be utilized.

Gonzales said the recreation center will reopen on January 14 at its regular hours.

 

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