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TORONTO -- Toronto Council members Monday learned activities at the Karaffa Recreation Center have resumed with steps taken to deter spread of the coronavirus.
Rod Henry, the city's building maintenance and recreation director, told council he also has booked a few private events there for this year.
He said others interested in renting space at the center may call (740) 537-3611 between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday for information.
He added an upstairs room also is available for small meetings, with carpeting to be installed in two others for the same potential purpose.
Henry also announced the city will receive a portion of proceeds from sales for a Chick-fil-A food truck that will be outside the center from noon to 2 p.m. Friday.
The truck will be selling regular and spicy chicken sandwiches, chips, sweet tea, lemonade, cookies and brownies.
Henry said depending on how much is raised, he would like to use the proceeds to purchase equipment for the center of city swimming pool.
He said one possibility is a portable movie screen with which the city could host outdoor movie nights during the summer.
Located at 1307 Dennis Way, the center is the former Karaffa Elementary School and retains the name of late Toronto superintendent, principal and teacher Joseph Karaffa.
The building was transferred from the school district to the city for $1 in 2019 after the Toronto school board added a 42,281 square foot wing for elementary students to Toronto Junior-Senior High School.
The school district's pre-school program and board staff still use some areas of the building.
Following the meeting, Henry said private yoga and fitness classes have resumed at the center, and some senior citizens enjoy walking laps around the gym in the morning.
Councilman at large Steve Rebich said he's been impressed by precautions taken by the center's staff in response to the pandemic.
He noted visitors' temperatures are taken as they arrive to determine if they have fevers and the name of each is written on a sign-in sheet so they may be contacted in the event someone at the center tests positive for COVID-19.
Henry said with hopes of re-opening the pool, the city will be sending applications for lifeguards and other summer help to local schools and posting them on the new Karaffa Recreation Center Facebook page.
In other business:
¯ Council amended an ordinance for the city's wastewater superintendent so he could receive compensation for costs entailed in his operator certification retroactive to January 2020.
Council President Frank McEwen said others in the wastewater department received compensation through contracts negotiated by their union.
¯ Plans were made for the city's records committee to meet at 6 p.m., prior to council's next regular meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 22 to discuss measures required for the state for the disposal or retention of public records.
McEwen said the city has "an overabundance of old records" but must receive permission from the state historic commission before disposing any because some must be kept.
Craig Allen, the city's law director, said the city may need to hire someone familiar with public records and the required documentation involved.
First Ward Councilman Bob Bertram said storage space for records has become an issue.
"We don't have a lot of room left, if any," he said.
¯ Council agreed to disband the city's cable television committee and replace it with one focused personnel and human relations at the recommendation of Council President Frank McEwen.
McEwen said the panel is needed to review the city's table of organization, which outlines the number of staff in each department, their duties and hours; and address other personnel issues.
(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)