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Nash Recreation Center
History |
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Ruby Nash
School consisted of three additions built in 1896, 1913, and
1949. The school housed everything from kindergarten through
high school during its use as a school building. The 1896
building was where the racquetball courts, multi purpose rooms 1 &
2, and the locker rooms are located. The 1913 addition stood
where the south end of the pool is presently located. The
entrance to that building is now the entrance to the snack bar.
At that point you could go up 1/2 flight of stairs to classrooms
or down 1/2 flight of stairs to the locker/restroom areas.
The 1949 addition is |
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still standing and houses
the office, north/south hallway, multi purpose rooms 2 and 4, and
the west gym. There was an east entrance to the building to
the gym and cafeteria area (presently multi purpose room 4,
kitchen and east/west hallway) that came directly into the
building with no entryway. The curved brick wall, part of
that entryway, is still in the gym storage room. |
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The Oregon Park
District began leasing the present recreation office space from
the Oregon School District in 1979. At that time
kindergarten, first and second grades, early childhood and head
start classes were still housed in the building. The
Park District continued to lease this space for the next four
years and were allowed use of some of the classrooms and the
gymnasium on evenings and weekends. |
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In 1983, the Park District
purchased the property from the Oregon School District for
$100,000.00. The Ogle County Courthouse was being renovated
at that time and they approached the Park District about leasing
the 1896 building for court rooms, state's attorney, and probation
offices. The Park District leased the 1986 building to Ogle
County for one and one-half years. |
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In the fall
of 1984 major construction began on the 1896 and 1913
buildings to build everything to the right side of the hallway as
you enter the main part of The Nash Recreation Center. The
1896 portion of the building was torn down and the racquetball
courts, multi purpose room 1 & 2, and the locker rooms were
constructed. The two columns at the front counter area were
at one time the principal's office. As you walk south down
the long hallway, there used to be glass windows above the present
heating units as well as a doorway to the playground which is
where the pool is. The school bell from the belfry was
donated to the Ogle County |
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Historical Society. The pool was also constructed at this
time. Nash Recreation Center first opened its doors on
December 30, 1985. |
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The 1949 addition to Ruby
Nash School still remains in use as the main hallway, offices,
multi purpose room 4, multi purpose room 3, (formerly a stage area
with gym being to the east), and about 1/2 of the present gym
(where the curtain hangs). When Nash Recreation Center
opened, several pieces of Keiser weight equipment and stationary
bikes were in multi purpose room 4. That was the extent of
the fitness equipment and area. What is now the hallway to
the east end of the building was a kitchen. The building was
used like that from 1985 - 1989. In 1989 it was determined
that more gym space and a bigger fitness center area were needed.
At that time construction began again, doubling the size of the gym
and adding multi purpose room 5, and the fitness center in the
lower level. The east gym wall area had to be terraced to
allow for the variance in grade of the land and it was easier to
construct a lower level than to level the area for same level
construction. Nash Recreation Center was never closed during
this construction phase. In 1990 the remainder of the
building was finished as well as any updating and remodeling to
the rest of the buildings. |
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The Building Maintenance
Supervisor's workshop, located between the locker rooms, was
originally designed as a "check room." All users of Nash
Recreation Center were to check in here before using the facility.
Equipment could also be rented here as well as valuables being
kept for customers while they were using the facility. |
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The front counter
information desk was originally located where the present Aquatic
Coordinator's office is. This area was shared by aquatics
and receptionists/cashiers and over time, became very crowded.
In 1992 the present front counter entrance was added and the old
office was converted to the Aquatic's Coordinator's office, with
half of the space being used as a Pool Manager's workspace.
At that time, the staff lounge area was divided into a small staff
lounge and the Administrative Assistant's office was opened.
This added one office space allowing the Recreation Department
Secretary to have an office and the entire hallway area in the
office to be used as a work area for the Recreation Department,
housing the copy machine, duplicating machine, and several
computers as well as table space for larger projects. |
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The office in the Fitness
Area was originally used for storage and later opened up to allow
for young children to play while their parents
were using the area. This eventually led to problems and
with increased usage in the Fitness Center the area was converted
to an office for the Fitness Supervisor. |
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During various phases of
Park District development, some parts of the older additions that
were saved have been used. The fire escape steps from the
1913 addition are now being used at Kiwanis Park as the steps to
the river from the upper area. |
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The present parking lot
was at one time a paved playground area for the school. |
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