Friday, January 17, 2025
It’s out with the old and in with the new, and a newly reconstructed Greater Five Towns Community Campus is on the way in Lawrence, replacing the Five Towns Community Center.
The old building will be demolished to make way for a facility that will serve everyone, according to Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who said he anticipates six months of planning for the new center and at least 18 months of construction.
At a news conference, on Dec. 18 outside the building on Lawrence Avenue, Blakeman an-nounced a partnership that includes the county, its Police Activity League and the Marion & Aaron Gural Jewish Community Center.
“It’s part of the promise that I made when I became county executive, that we were going to take the Five Towns Community Center and bring it up to a much higher level,” Blakeman said.
The Gural JCC will invest at least $10 million in new amenities, including a new gymnasium and a swimming pool.
JCCs help promote Jewish culture and heritage through holiday celebrations, Israel-related programming, and other Jewish education. However, they are open to everyone in the community. The Gural JCC began serving the Five Towns community in 1981 out of a little blue house on Grove Avenue, in Cedarhurst.
“From infants to older adults, we are there for all of life’s challenges and life’s joys,” Stacey Feldman, executive director of the JCC, said. “Through the years, as the needs of the residents have grown, so have the services and programs we have offered.”
The new facility will offer after-school activities, expanded programming for seniors, the gym and pool, and new opportunities for those who are neurodiverse along with offices, meeting rooms and playrooms.
“The Marion & Aaron Gural JCC already offers a diverse array of programs targeting various audiences in our community,” Feldman added. “A new state-of-the-art facility will enable us to grow and expand our programs that are tailored to the needs and interests of the community, emphasizing family enrichment, Jewish identity and community engagement.” The JCC’s goal is to offer full-service programming for those of all ages.
“Our doors have always been open and will remain open to everyone,” Feldman said. “This incredible partnership will enable us to create a state-of-the-art community center, allowing the programs you have been asking for.”
The plan is for the new center to offer monthly rates for individuals and families to utilize the amenities, though no fees have been proposed as yet.
“I’d like to extend our appreciation to the Nassau County Police Department and the Police Activity League,” Feldman added. “Our partnership will serve as a role model for other communities, and we look forward to working side by side with you.”
The announcement comes nearly two years after the county issued a request for proposal seeking a new operator for the Five Towns Community Center.
“My vision is as follows,” Craig Spatz, chairman of the JCC, said. “I’ve been on the board since 1998, and ever since then, we’ve talked about having a full JCC to serve the needs of the community. It’s open for everyone, and this community, specifically, really deserves a JCC to meet that need. It’s been a dream of ours.”
This month, Feldman said, she would begin meeting with community members to hear what they want and need from the JCC.
“The amenities have not been finalized,” she said. “We’re going to see what the community wants to see and needs. For over 43 years we have yearned to have a full-service Jewish community center here, a place where children can learn to swim, teens can shoot hoops, adults can take a class, seniors can be less isolated and people of all abilities can feel included and welcomed.”
Feldman encouraged community members to email myjcc@guraljcc.org to share their thoughts, suggestions and ideas.
“We are extremely appreciative of this incredible opportunity to build a world class facility that everyone can be proud of and utilize,” Feldman wrote in an email. “We anticipate all residents of our community will find an array of programs and services that interest them.”
