Oak Harbor youth ask parks board to back feasibility study for indoor recreation center

A delegation of Oak Harbor youth and pageant royalty told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board that the city needs an indoor community recreation center and asked the board to support a feasibility study and a council presentation.

"We hope you will join us in supporting and advocating for the city of Oak Harbor Community Recreation Center," said a representative of the group during the presentation. Several members described the project as a long‑standing goal in city plans and said it would provide social, mental‑health and economic benefits.

Board members responded with procedural guidance and substantive questions. Speaker 2, a parks staff member, outlined the next steps: the board can make a recommendation to city council asking that the city fund a contracted feasibility study; the city would issue an RFP, select a consultant and expect a roughly five‑month study period before reporting back to council. "Doing a feasibility study gives them that information of, is it supported by the community? Is it financially sustainable?" Speaker 2 said.

Several board members urged the youth to include citations for statistics they presented. Speaker 3 praised the presentation and asked the group to provide the studies and numbers behind their slides at a future meeting so councilors have footnoted sources to review.

The board voted to ask council to place the youth on the council agenda to request funding for a feasibility study; members agreed informally to target Jan. 16 for that presentation. The motion to request the council agenda placement was made by Speaker 3 and seconded by Speaker 1 and carried by voice vote. No roll‑call tally was recorded in the transcript.

Big Brothers Big Sisters' executive director Tiffany Scribner also spoke in support, saying her organization represents more than 700 families in Oak Harbor and that the group would "be onboard and do whatever we can to help."