Green City Council Approved $14.9 million issuance of bonds for the construction of the Community Courts Project 
GREEN, OH –At the June 13 City Council meeting, Green City Council approved the issuance of $14.9 million to construct The Community Courts, a 53,415 square foot activity center that will be attached to the future Green Middle School. The Community Courts will provide gymnasium space for the new Green Middle School, an indoor walking track, 2 additional multi-purpose courts, studio space for fitness, dance and yoga classes, and a multi-purpose turf field.
In addition to approving the $14.9 million for construction, the legislation included the approval of the cooperative agreement between the school district and city of Green detailing the usage, maintenance, and scheduling of the facility.
“I am thrilled that the Community Courts project received its financing approval with unanimous support from Green City Council,” said Gerard Neugebauer, mayor, City of Green. “I want to thank Law Director Lisa Carey Dean and Service Director Valerie Wax Carr for their hard work navigating the process and developing the agreement with Green Local Schools.”
Mayor Gerard Neugebauer initially discussed his vision for the Green Community Courts at his State of the City Address in January 2022. Following approval from voters of the bond issue to fund new schools in May 2022, Green Local Schools began to work to design new facilities – a new Green Middle School and a new Primary building, replacing three of Green’s oldest school buildings, all 50 years and older. For the latest details on the Green Local Schools buildings, visit www.greenlocalschools.org/ 
Preliminary designs of the Community Courts were introduced at a public meeting last year on November 10. In December, City Council approved the contract with Sol Harris Day Architects to design the activity center.
“The Community Courts will add so much more recreational space to our already robust park system, providing year-long fitness opportunities for residents of all ages, from toddlers through seniors” said Neugebauer.
The Community Courts will be constructed as part of the new Middle School, located directly behind the existing Green Intermediate School. The facility will be located conveniently next to Central Park, the Green Memorial Stadium, and other sports and recreational facilities.
The collaboration between Green Local Schools and the City of Green is a key element of the new school facilities plan that will allow the schools to prioritize levy funds for classroom and instructional space, while city resources are used to create the activity space needed for the new school and the overall community.
By constructing the Community Courts in collaboration with the new school buildings, taxpayers will
realize a saving of $3-$4 million. The City’s construction of the sports and recreational space allows our schools to focus on educational space, including expanded facilities for choir and band activities.
Beginning in 2024, the City will use the Parks and Recreation Capital Fund, which by city charter receives 7% of the city’s income tax revenues, to repay the debt incurred from the issuance of these bonds.
“The City purchased Raintree Golf and Event Center in 2018 using $600,000 annually from the Parks Capital Fund” said Neugebauer. “We plan to similarly use $750,000 annually from the Parks Capital Fund over the next 25 years to cover a substantial portion of the debt payments for the Community Courts. This project would not have been possible without the foresight of our city founders to designate a significant portion of income tax revenues to develop our parks and recreational facilities.”
Construction of the Green Middle School and the Community Courts is set to begin later this year and is expected to take approximately 2 years to complete. For more details, visit cityofgreen.org/courts.
The City of Green, Ohio, founded in 1992, is a prosperous, progressive, and promising city with more than 27,475 residents. Approximately 33.5 square-miles, Green is located in southern Summit County. Visit www.cityofgreen.org.
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