Manteca Mayor Gary Singh and Jacob Naven, his challenger in the Nov. 3 election, agree the highest priority for Manteca when it comes to bonding for a recreation amenity is a community center.

Naven noted Manteca doesn’t have a community center despite being on the cusp of 100,000 residents.

“It will also take pressure off the senior center,” Naven said.

Naven said those attending the senior center have told him more and more senior center activities are getting bumped due to growing community use of the facility that can accommodate upwards of 250 people for fundraising dinners.

Naven sees a community center that can accommodate a whole spectrum of community events from plays and recreation events to community function and programs.

Naven noted Lathrop has a Generations Center that does triple duty as a library, teen center, and senior center.

Singh echoed Naven’s sentiments.

The City of Manteca is gearing up to issue 18 year bonds secured by Measure Q sales tax receipts to build a new police station and sixth fire station.

City Manager Toni Lundgren has indicated the city’s favorable bond rating is reducing the cost of borrowing to the point that one or two major recreational amenities could be built along with the police and fire stations.

The two possibilities Lundgren is exploring based on the city’s park and recreation facilities master plan adopted earlier this year by the City Council includes a community center as well as a swimming pool.

Singh believes there is a way to do both through future development agreements for new neighborhoods as well as growth fees the city already is collecting.

And he wants it to be designed for use by all ages and possibly include space for a library.

Singh is working with Congressman Josh Harder to secure a $2 million earmark in the 2027 federal budget to help with the cost of building a community center and swimming pool in Manteca.

Naven cautioned that a new swimming pool represents significance ongoing costs for the city.

He believes Manteca would be better off working with the school district in a partnership to utilize the three swimming pools at high school campuses that taxpayers are already paying to maintain.

Naven pointed out a community center would have much more use in terms of the number of people that would use it during the course of a year.

Naven said a community center would have a positive impact of the quality of life in Manteca.

He pointed to the Grand Theatre Center for the Arts complex that provides space for plays, concerts, and other gatherings as well as classes and workshops.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com