6 THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER April 2022
CHECK OUT THE
NEW SPACE
New Charbonneau Activity Center provides expanded areas for exercise , reading and gathering
BY COREY BUCHANAN
A project borne out of considerable dialogue and planning is coming to fruition in Charbonneau .
While Charbonneau Country Club had spent many years mulling over and trying to find property for an activity center that could better serve its residents , this vision will become reality this month .
The country club is unveiling a new activity center during a grand opening event at 4 p . m . April 14 . As of mid- March , the country club had not determined exactly when the center would be available for resident use . “ It ’ s really celebrating our residents and our community , whether residents who have been here for a period of time or new residents ,” said CCC Director Anne Shevlin . “ It ’ s giving them a beautiful space to recreate , congregate , bring family members in and be very comfortable in the space and very proud of the space .”
The new facility , which cost $ 6.7 million and is being financed through a loan from Columbia Bank , is 16,750 square feet and located at the former site of the restaurant building in the Charbonneau Village Center . Shevlin said that dues were not increased to pay for construction costs .
The need for the center , according to Shevlin and former CCC Director Kathy Fuller , derived from a lack of space for activities at the current CCC clubhouse , which Shevlin said the club is now calling an event center . One challenge with the old space , Fuller said , was that noise prevented some activities from happening simultaneously . They also couldn ’ t add new activities as schedules were already
The French Prairie Library at the Charbonneau Activity Center provides quiet places for residents to read .
PMG PHOTO : JAIME VALDEZ
COURTESY PHOTO
The Charbonneau Village Center Development Task Force , including ( back , left to right ) Jim Gibbons , Rick Schram , Joe Brouliette , Gary Newbore , Chris Hedger of RH Construction , Timon Manongi of BC Group and Andy Tarnasky of RH Construction as well as ( front , left to right ) Mike Brennan , Judy Brennan , Anne Shevlin , Kathy Fuller , Jim Meierotto and Linda Owen , poses for a photo .
This is the recreation room at the Charbonneau Activity Center . PMG PHOTO : JAIME VALDEZ
booked .
“ Some of the spaces were in high demand and we couldn ’ t meet the requests of potential users to make that space available ,” Fuller said .
Fuller said the restaurant ’ s closure presented the perfect opportunity due to its central location .
A group of residents began working on plans for the project in 2019 and the city of Wilsonville Development Review Board approved the club ’ s application for the demolition of the restaurant and buildout of the activity center in January 2021 . Construction has taken place since then .
Some amenities include a new gym ( allowing the club to no longer have to rent out space at another location ), a library that is over four times bigger than the previous one and has cozy furniture and table lighting , a space for art classes with the “ best view in the entire building ,” according to Shevlin , a gathering space , a kitchen , meeting rooms and more .
Shevlin added that the gym has one space for classes and another for regular exercise .
“ I ’ m really excited about it ,” Fuller said of the project . “ It ’ s been a long time coming .”
Shevlin said the development will
See ACTIVITY CENTER / Page 7