Youth First Looking For Room To Move Group Has E On Old Post Office For Recreational Activities

They’re PTA members, coaches, school board members and parents, and they saw a problem: a dearth of recreational space for their children.

Now, the group, Youth First, is coming up with solutions. They want the old post office building, and they want fields by the new high school.

The post office could serve as a youth center where kids could do things like play pool or dance on Friday and Saturday nights, Youth First members say. That would fill the void, as they see it, of places for kids to hang out on weekends.

It also could provide more space for the city Parks and Recreation Department to have classes and maybe even a place where local law enforcement could stop by, fill out reports and keep in contact with the youth of this town.

“Our part of the building is still up in the air. It’s still conceptual,” said Vicki Caughran, a Youth First member.

So far, things are looking bright.

While the federal government still has a lease on the post office building, Youth First members are working on getting a sublease, said Linda Seed, a Youth First member.

They haven’t yet determined what that would cost, but they have met with a contractor, who is calculating the cost of bringing the building up to code. After they get a formal bid from the contractor, they will make a proposal to the Realtor handling the building, Seed said. They plan to apply for grants to help with the cost.

The city definitely could use the space, said Dave Fair, city parks and recreation director.

“That’s one need we haven’t been able to address,” he said. “Uses we could foresee are aerobics, an indoor playground, karate, possibly special interest classes.”

In addition to the youth center, Youth First is making headway on its other pet project - obtaining more field space. They want to build five soccer fields and two baseball fields on school district grounds by the site of the new high school.

Post Falls School District Superintendent Dick Harris told the group the school district would be willing to work with them to develop the fields.

First, however, the district and architects it has hired will need to determine the shape of the new building and where the parking lots and the school’s fields will be.

“We’re going to develop the school site first; anything else will have to come after that,” Harris said, estimating that the district ought to be done with the plan in late July or early August.

At that point, Youth First would have to submit a written proposal for the school’s architects to review and for the school board to vote on.

What’s next After they get a formal bid for post office repairs, Youth First will make a proposal to the Realtor handling the building. The group plans to apply for grants for the project.