Space inside the Seymour Community Center that used to have two offices separated by a wall has been turned into one room that’s now available to rent.

Seymour Parks and Recreation Department officials recently agreed the maximum capacity for the room should be around 30, but they wanted the department’s board to determine the rental cost.

After some discussion, Vice President Bethany Rust made a motion for a $50 rental fee with a $100 deposit that’s refundable upon inspection by staff. That was seconded by Kendra Zumhingst and unanimously approved 5-0.

“The community center is thriving, and we have around 50 seniors that exercise three days a week, and then we also have seniors that play cards, and they don’t want to be in the same area,” Parks Director Stacy Findley said. “So now, we have two separate areas, and then that also creates another rental space.”

In the department’s annual report for 2022, Findley said the number of community center rentals nearly doubled from the previous year.

“We had almost 2,000 rentals last year,” she said. “We have people that call all the time that are wanting to rent the community center and it’s already booked, and so this additional space will give us another opportunity. This is a more intimate setting. It can hold between 20 and 30 people. We’re thinking baby showers, bridal showers, graduation parties. It’s super cute, brand-new carpet, new paint.”

The room has a table with chairs, an area with a wide seat and a backdrop and another area with decorative chairs, a mirror and some wall décor. There also is a television and a small room with a refrigerator, and the plan is to add a setup for a microwave and coffee.

If the nearby main room, which holds up to 300 people, is not being used, those renting this new space would have access to the full kitchen.

Findley recommended making the deposit number higher than the rental fee because of the higher-quality furnishings and to make sure people take care of it.

“I think they need some skin in the game,” she said.

That’s when Rust suggested the deposit to be $100.

“I have a problem with the logic that just because they are paying more, that just because it has got nicer furniture that they should pay a lot more because it’s just a little, small area,” board President Monica Riley said. “If you’re concerned about that, couldn’t we just make the deposit larger and they get their deposit back but still give them the $30 or $50 rental rate?”

Zumhingst said the board needs to have an understanding of what the end goal is: To make money, to provide space or to draw people downtown?

Findley said community center rentals generate revenue to put back into the parks, and the center also provides a meeting space and brings people to the downtown.

Rust then made her motion that went on to be approved.

Allycen Wheeler, assistant program director for the parks and rec department, said about 15 to 20 people will be in the room for an hour on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays playing cards. Otherwise, it’s available to rent.

To reserve this room or any others at the community center, call 812-522-6420.

In December, the parks board unanimously approved raising the rental rates for the community center.

For nonprofit organizations, the cost on a weekday is now $20 and the weekend rate is $125. Previously, the rate was $10 for any day of the week.

For for-profit and personal uses, the weekday rate is now $100 and the weekend rate is $250. Previously, the rate was $250 for any day of the week, but $100 was refunded once the key was turned in and the user cleaned up after themselves.

Findley said while it’s a great space for the community to use and has been a great income generator for the department, there have been instances where the low rates haven’t compensated for the cleaning that has to be done after the center has been used. The facility is being rented nearly every weekend and often is used on weekdays for meetings, she said.

The rental agreement states the facility will be left exactly as it was found at the time of rental. Otherwise, the group renting it will be responsible for cleanup costs. Findley said the department has not refunded the deposit in some instances because of the condition the center was left in, and there recently was someone who had to pay for the carpet to be cleaned.