Centennial OKs Appraisals for District Properties

The Centennial School Board approved hiring a professional appraiser to determine a value of the former Hart Elementary, the district administrative building and playing fields located on Newtown Road.

Within 90 days, the Centennial School District could know the "value" of several district properties. During Tuesday night's meeting, the board authorized hiring George Sengpiel to conduct appraisals of the former Hart Elementary, which had served as Warminster Township's recreation center for more than 20 years; the current district administrative building; and some soccer fields located on Newtown Road, across the street from the entrance to William Tennent. Sengpiel will be paid $2,200 total for the appraisals, which board member Mark Miller told Patch should be complete within 90 days.  Miller said the purpose of the appraisals is to determine a "value" for the land. The board had not yet considered selling the properties, he said.  If…

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Board to Consider Appraisals for District Properties

One of the proposals on the Centennial School Board agenda for Tuesday is to consider hiring a professional appraiser to evaluate the value of the former Hart Elementary, the district administrative building and playing fields located on Newtown Road.

Before any decisions can be made about the use of properties owned by the Centennial School District, the Ad Hoc Land Use Committee wants to see just how much the real estate is worth. That's the proposal set to be presented to the full board Tuesday night at the regularly scheduled meeting. If approved, George Senpiel will conduct appraisals of the former Hart Elementary, which had served as Warminster Township's recreation center for more than 20 years, the current district administrative building, and some soccer fields located on Newtown Road, across the street from the entrance to William Tennent. The total cost is $2,200. According to the proposal, the appraisals are basically a fact-finding project to determine the value of the land…

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Moving the WREC: Human Bowling Set For Sale

Before Warminster’s Parks Department moves from the WREC to Community Park, it's having a sale of supplies and equipment.

Warminster's Parks and Recreation Department is ready to move out of the WREC on Little Lane and into it’s new facility at Warminster Community Park this month. But first the department wants to shed some weight. It’s having a moving sale and selling all sorts of WREC memorabilia and equipment. Proceeds go to the Parks & Recreation Community Park building fund. Last summer, Warminster Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to giving complete ownership of the WREC Center back to the Centennial School District. In January, the township had modular buildings placed in Community Park for Parks and Recreation. The change in scenery means a reduction in operation space from 40,000 sq. ft. at the WREC to 2,800 sq. ft. at the park. The moving sale…

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Murky Year Ahead for Warminster Parks and Rec

The loss of the WREC Center and a revenue reduction in the 2013 budget has the Parks and Recreation Department staff working to do more with less.

It was a tough 2012 for Karen Whitney and the rest of Warminster's Parks and Recreation department, and 2013 does not look like it will be much easier. The department has until February to vacate the offices based in the WREC Center and move into modular units that have been installed at Warminster Community Park. The change in scenery means a reduction in operation space from 40,000 sq. ft. to 2,800 sq. ft., according to Whitney. Nonetheless, Whitney and her team are working to keep as many Parks and Rec programs as possible. Classroom activities will be conducted at the new office, with the library hosting some of the fitness and exercise programs. Whitney is also working with third party locations for more exercise space, such as …

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Warminster Takes First Steps Toward New WREC Facility

Township supervisors are looking at possible state funding to help construct a new building at Warminster Community Park.

As Warminster's Parks & Recreation Director Karen Whitney prepares for the closing of the WREC Center, the township supervisors have started rolling on the search for funding to construct a replacement facility at Warminster Community Park. One possible source of money may come from Pennsylvania's Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a grant program that provides funds to regional projects that demonstrate potential for economic growth and the creation of jobs. According to Valerie Piper, a project manager for Milligan & Company, the state has set aside $1.7 million for Warminster, and she can help the township jump through the hoops necessary to acquire the money. "The township has to submit a business plan to the RACP …

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Supervisors to Consider Returning WREC to School District

The loss of tenants and the expense of necessary renovations has made the building too costly for the township.

The ongoing question regarding the fate of Warminster's WREC Center may finally be answered tonight at the Board of Supervisors meeting. On the agenda for tonight is a resolution that authorizes township manager Rich Manfredi and solicitor Mary Eberle to close the building and return the property to the Centennial School District. Manfredi said the Warminster Parks and Recreation Department took a hit last year when several tenants ended their leases and moved their operations to Leary Elementary. Compounded with the cost of necessary building repairs, including a new roof, has made retention of the WREC too expensive. "Our current tenants are also getting hit hard by the economy," said Manfredi. "One of them asked us to reduce the rent by…

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Pete Krenshaw

11:20 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012

Sarah - so are you telling me a variance and a waiver are the same thing?? I understand you care for the needs of the children but you can not ignore the facts. I have been trying to communicate them to you in a way you can understand but it doesn't look like we will find success. I have not seen any agreement of sale and honestly, I don't think a formal agreement of sale was ever in place. As …   more ›

Warminster Hosts Free Children's Concert

Steve Pullara and His Cool Beans Band brought his award-winning music to the WREC Center Wednesday night.

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Music Lovers Gather for Free Outdoor Concert at the WREC

The Warminster Symphony Orchestra kicked off the summer series with a selection of movie soundtracks and big band classics.

More than 200 Warminster residents of every age gathered outside the WREC center Wednesday to enjoy an evening of free music provided by the Warminster Symphony Orchestra. It was the first of five outdoor concerts organized by the Warminster Parks and Recreation Department for the next five weeks. "We try and select a wide variety of family-oriented music," said Chelsea Decker, recreation assistant for the Parks and Rec Department and organizer of the summer music series for the past five years. "We start planning in February and start receiving lots of press packs and CDs from local musicians." Decker filled out the rest of the schedule with the Barley Boys, an Irish music band (July 6), Melissa Martin & the Mighty Rhythm Kings, a swing …

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