After touring the St. Paul's Historic Main Building and interviewing more than 20 local organizations, some of which are paying rental fees for offices and storage space, the recently appointed Mayor's Committee - tasked to explore public needs for space that might be accommodated by use of the first floor of the St. Paul's Main Building - revealed several conclusions.

The report stated that there is a strong demand from various Garden City groups for space. Committee members believe if space were to be made available for public use at St. Paul's it would, without doubt, be utilized. "A true cross section of village groups, representing all age groups, have a need for space ... and St. Paul's has the space to satisfy many of those needs," the report stated.

The committee interviewed groups like Senior Connections, the Garden City Community Fund, Garden City Centennials, Garden City Bird Sanctuary, the Girl and Boy Scouts, the village's four property owners' associations, Friends of the Library and more. Many groups emphasized that the lack of available space in Garden City for meetings, training and educational sessions, fund-raising events and more is limiting the growth of the organization.

"Often times they were forced to cancel meetings if dates had to be changed since current meeting space requires scheduling far in advance," the report continued. "Many groups met in the homes of residents which were not large enough for the entire organization to meet together," the report continued.

With respect to seniors, the committee noted it is essential to support the growing senior program and suggested the building's east wing be investigated for this need. "Dedicated meeting rooms, game rooms with pool table, card playing, etc. would provide seniors with access at all times," the report noted. Space was also requested for both recreational- and sports-related activities, specifically a room with tables for chess and checkers, along with Ping-Pong and pool tables. Committee members suggested these types of use would be most appropriate in the lower level's West Wing rooms. The report further noted that the existing footprint of the building is not adequate to meet the demands for additional major recreational facilities.

Further, the committee believes the use of St. Paul's would be multigenerational and, conceivably, between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. with adults using the facilities during the school day, children using it after school and a mixed use of children/working adults in the evening. Senior citizens and members of the American Legion requested space outside of the building for activities such as picnics while other groups requested space to showcase awards, trophies and citations. The committee highly recommended using one of the large meeting rooms to display these achievements while also acting as a lounge area where people could meet with friends.

The committee also found that the presence of the village's recreation department offices would enhance the management of the St. Paul's building. The committee agrees with Village Administrator Robert Schoelle's recommendation to provide space for the recreation department administrative and customer service offices in the west corner of the building. "The space would provide for the necessary management of the village public space in the building and the fields and provide for easy access to the rest of the St. Paul's complex through the current connecting passageway between the Main Building and Cluett Hall," the report stated.

Finally, the committee believes the basement, which the report refers to as the "lower level," should be added to the plan for public use. After touring the site, particularly the basement, the committee found considerable space ideal for public use. "The term lower level better characterizes the nature of the space because it appears to be at least 50 percent above grade and the rooms have large windows with good natural light. In the lower level area, the West Wing provides a number of good-sized rooms for meetings and other activities," the report stated. The kitchen, committee members suggested, could support a full catering function and the existing woodworking shop and ceramics room could support these types of activities in the future.

A small number of groups expressed no need for additional space. Committee members, however, feel they may be shortsighted. "It is our concern that if the library were to require more space for its needs, they might want to expand to the lower level of their current building. If this were to happen, many organizations and programs would lose the meeting facilities that they currently believe will be able to support their organizational needs in the future," the report noted.

The committee, chaired by former board trustee Eileen Collins, noted that the St. Paul's Main Building was built in memoriam to A.T. Stewart, Garden City's founder. "There is a reason that the St. Paul's building was placed in the heart of the village. By being centrally located it was meant to be seen by all and accessible to all. Based upon the needs of the various groups within Garden City, a public use of St. Paul's would be a vital part of village life," the report added.

The report further found that many organizations, particularly the Scout and sporting groups, believe housing their operations in a central location, alongside other groups and organizations, would provide them with a maximum exposure to residents. Many interviewees believe a community center would be a valuable asset to the village and an attractive asset for potential residents.