A $21M community center will finally break ground in Meridian. Why it took years
Meridian is finally set to break ground on a new community center near Settlers Park, years after plans to redo its old center downtown fell apart.
The new center will function as the city’s “hub for community programs” through its Parks and Recreation Department, as well as a home base for the Meridian Fire Department’s outreach work, according to a news release from the city.
At 26,000 square feet, the center will be more than six times the size of the existing one, which the release said “is no longer adequate to serve a population of Meridian’s size.”
That building was built in the early 1960s, when Meridian’s population was just over 2,000, according to U.S. Census data. Since then, the city has grown by over 145,000 people.
The community center is planned to include a reception area, a gymnasium with a stage, fitness rooms, classrooms and meeting rooms, and an outdoor patio. The Fire Department’s new outreach center will also feature space for fire safety or CPR trainings.
According to city spokesperson BreAnna Clifford, construction is expected to cost $17.2 million, while the land cost $4.2 million to buy. Plans were designed by Montana-based architectural firm Cushing Terrell, which has a Boise office.
It will be located on North Venable Avenue, just west of the Settlers Park baseball field complex.
The Parks and Recreation and Fire departments plan to host a groundbreaking ceremony for the center at 1:30 pm. Thursday, Feb. 19. Construction is expected to take roughly two years, with opening eyed for late 2027 or early 2028.
“We can’t wait to see Meridian families and people of all ages enjoying the space for years to come — whether that’s staying active, trying something new, or simply connecting with friends and neighbors,” said Meridian Parks and Recreation Director Steve Siddoway in the Tuesday news release.
The city is also set to expand Settlers Park to include a fenced dog park, pathways, a playground and 347 new parking spaces, according to the release. The expansion is on the same timeline as the community center, the release said.
A spokesperson for the Meridian Fire Department did not immediately respond to an email inquiry from the Idaho Statesman about the new outreach center.
What about the old community center? And dreams of downtown renewal?
The $21 million project aims to deliver on a years-long promise for a new community center. In 2019, the city offered land and $4 million to developers willing to rebuild the existing one, as part of an initiative to revitalize the small downtown block at 2nd Street and Idaho Avenue, the Statesman reported.
Chosen for the task was developer Bill Truax and his Galena Opportunity Fund, who had ambitious plans to rebuild the center and construct a charter school for $13 million. Down the block to the south, Truax had plans to build a large apartment and business complex across from Meridian City Hall.
Truax’s agreement with the city and its urban renewal agency, the Meridian Development Corp., for the community center lapsed, and the city had searched for a new location for a community center for roughly five years before purchasing the land west of Settlers Park for $4.2 million in 2024.
What’s to become of the old community center now? According to Clifford, there are no big plans for either demolition or upgrades.
“It will continue to be used as a community center for classes and activities,” she said.
As for the stalled project across from City Hall, after being purchased by Meridian’s Ahlquist development firm and Eagle’s The Pacific Cos., it may get a second chance after all.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 4:07 PM.
