By Dylan Marsh
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — The Arrowhead Recreation Club (ARC) voted March 29 to table a request from the city on a proposed new operating agreement. That agreement would restructure the layout of Arrowhead Lodge, 18 Robert Easter Way.
Some members of the ARC said the meeting was premature due to unanswered questions.
The new agreement addresses the responsibility each party would hold for the public spaces in lodge.
The Wheel House, a privately owned bike shop, will also be discussing its own lease agreement with the city for retail and service space inside the lodge.
Included in the proposed operating agreement with ARC are layout plans identifying which portions of Arrowhead The Wheel House will occupy and which spaces will remain public.
“We are trying to advance the overall operations at Arrowhead,” Parks and Recreation Director Nick Lawrence said. “We have a duty to the taxpayers to enhance the services that we offer, and I think that definitely includes doing things year-round.”
Some residents disagree with the new layout. As planned, The Wheel House would utilize the third floor, portions of the basement, and the bulk of the main level.
This would leave significantly less space for ARC to operate their winter activities for public gatherings. According to ARC members, the basement space allows for 44 to 45 people.
“There are many other ways to do this; has the city considered this?” Claremont resident and Arrowhead volunteer Allison St. Aubin asked. “The lodge with windows for families to watch from is critical. A concrete room in the basement is not the same.”
Other residents said it is time for a change. They believe the new agreement could generate tourism, including mountain biking activities and competitions.
“This community has a big resistance to change, and when we look back, we sort of look with rose-colored glasses on,” Claremont resident Tony DiPadova said. “It is a wonderful facility and a great asset to the community, and I don’t think anyone at The Wheel House wants to see the end of that.”
ARC members said they needed more time to review the proposed agreement, given that they received it on March 23. Some areas for review are issues regarding the accessibility of ADA-compliant bathrooms and determining who would hold liability insurance.
One potential problem for the city is regarding a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant issued to the city specifically for improvements to the lodge. This imposes conditions and restrictions on the operation of Arrowhead. The city is awaiting word from the fund on a release from those conditions.
“What I’ve seen tonight is totally different from the past,” The Wheel House co-owner and ARC board member Rob Walker told the group. “I think what we have here is promise, because there is a point in talking about the future.”
Eli Burke is also co-owner of The Wheel House and ARC board member.
ARC will hold its next meeting at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 5, at Arrowhead Lodge.
For more information or to see photos of the lodge, visit http://www.arrowheadnh.com/ or visit ARC’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/arrowheadnh/.
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