Community center location choice angers Muncie neighborhood

Community advocates in Muncie are speaking out against a decision formalized this week to turn a former church into a community center.  That’s because the building lies outside the neighborhood that lost such a center in 2006.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, the advocates say promises were made and not kept by the city.

View Transcript

Audio Transcript

00;00;00;03 - 00;00;13;09 Stephanie Wiechmann Despite its name, the former Industry United Methodist Church on Mock Avenue sits outside the boundaries of the Industry neighborhood. Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour says it was chosen by a committee comprised of many neighborhoods with only one no vote. 00;00;13;11 - 00;00;26;16 Dan Ridenour Very centrally located for all of those neighborhoods that are a part of this committee. And so we're very excited we can now move forward. And we will start doing that. And I'm just happy that they voted and they saw the bigger picture. 00;00;26;21 - 00;00;33;13 Stephanie Wiechmann But Judith Hill, who lives in the Industry neighborhood, told city council members earlier this month that the building isn't right for a center. 00;00;33;16 - 00;00;57;18 Judith Hill That church over there is not in the Industry neighborhood. It doesn't have an elevator, ‘cause it’s got those steps. We have young kids that are disabled. So forget thinking that we're going to accept penny pinching for poor people and other people trying to profit off of our shirt tails. 00;00;57;20 - 00;01;12;27 Stephanie Wiechmann The city has long promised to replace the South Madison Community Center, known as the Multi that was located in Industry and, according to community records, was torn down in 2006. Pastor Wayne Scaife told the council a community center was the minimum promised to industry. 00;01;12;29 - 00;01;34;05 Wayne Scaife We keep lowering the standards. We were. We were promised a center, price hall, a grocery store, a laundromat. All that's gone now. We just back to, oh, you're just going to get a center. But not only that, you're going to share it with other neighborhood associations. We're not doing that. That center belongs to Industry neighborhood. 00;01;34;07 - 00;01;52;07 Stephanie Wiechmann The city recently received the former Methodist Church in a deal with the Muncie Mission that has seen the Mission take over the city built crisis center for a basic health clinic. Ridenour says the city will use $ 500,000 already approved from the mayor controlled EDIT fund to rehab the church building. I'm Stephanie Wiechmann in Muncie.

Despite its name, the former Industry United Methodist Church on Mock Avenue sits outside the boundaries of the Industry neighborhood.  Muncie Mayor Dan Ridenour says it was chosen by a committee comprised of many neighborhoods with only one “no” vote.

“[It is] very centrally for all of those neighborhoods that are a part of this committee,” he said.  “And so we’re very excited we can now move forward.  And we will start doing that.  And just happy that they voted and they saw the bigger picture.”

But Judith Hill, who lives in the Industry neighborhood, told city council members earlier this month that the building isn’t right for a center.

“And that church over there is not in the Industry neighborhood.  It doesn’t have an elevator, ‘cause it’s got those steps.  We have young kids that are disabled,” she said. “So, forget thinking that we going to accept penny-pinching for poor people and other people trying to profit off our shirttails.”

The city has long promised to replace the South Madison Community Center – known as the “Multi” – that was located in Industry and, according to community records, was torn down in 2006.

The Industry Neighborhood Association has posted a petition to formally ask to “Bring Back Our Community Center.”

Pastor Wayne Scaife told the council a community center was the minimum promised to Industry.

“We keep lowering the standards.  We were promised a center, Price Hall, a grocery store, a laundromat – all that’s gone.  Now, it’s just back to, ‘Oh, you just going to get a center. But not only that, you’re going share it with other neighborhood associations.’  We’re not doing that.  That center belongs to Industry neighborhood.”

The city recently received the former Methodist church in a deal with the Muncie Mission that has seen the Mission take over the city-built crisis center for a basic health clinic.  Ridenour says the city will use $500,000 already approved from the mayor-controlled EDIT fund to rehab the church building.

Read More: Delaware County addiction treatment center opens as Muncie Crisis Center ends crisis services

Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host.  Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.