The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce exploring the idea of turning the old Fox Middle School building into a community center.
Chamber President John Deane said the building has been sitting vacant since 2000. Deane said a community center could provide a gathering space for youth.
“If we can provide constructive activities for our young people to participate in that inspire them to become good citizens when they become adults, that’s a far better approach than leaving them to their own devices,” Deane said.
Deane said research shows that communities with vibrant community centers with a broad range of activities tend to have way fewer kids getting in trouble. Deane said the chamber is working with Cookeville YMCA CEO Mandy Perhay to make the idea happen.
“Mandy has expertise and relationships with funders, grant funders, and other donors who can help us build that out, staff it, equip it, and build programs around it for our youth, as well as our young children, and adults,” Deane said.
Deane said the community center would hopefully be a regional hub for pickleball tournaments. Deane said pickleball tournaments could bring a positive economic impact to Gainesboro and the county.
“As people would come to Gainesboro to participate in a pickleball tournament, they are gonna need a place to stay, they are gonna need a place to eat, they are gonna be interested in thinking, and walking the greenway, and kayaking, and whatever else we have to offer here, and so all of these things work to mutually be reinforcing of each other if we can make them happen, and I don’t see why we can’t,” Deane said.
Deane said the chamber plans to do a public survey to get public input on what they think should be done with the old Fox Middle School building. Deane said public input is important.
“We want to energize the community and get people thinking about this opportunity to build a community center that would benefit everyone in the community,” Deane said.
Deane said the chamber will have a 10-month process of putting plans together and also see how much implementing a community center would cost.
