The recent Robbins Board of Commissioners meeting on July 11 heard an ambitious proposal to potentially address local recreational, nutritional, and healthcare needs.
The request for proposal was led by Clare Ruggles, executive director of Northern Moore Family Resource Center, requesting the use of the town’s old police building.
In attendance with Ruggles were representatives from the Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills, Moore Free and Charitable Clinic, and Moore Coalition for Human Care.
“All three of these organizations have been organizations that the Northern Moore Family Resource Center has worked with to try to support families in the northern end of the county for many years,” said Ruggles. “We’re excited about the possibility of partnering with them to serve members of this community more robustly.”
According to Ruggles, a proposal was recently submitted in June for the repurposing of the old police station into a multipurpose community hub aimed at serving the community’s diverse needs. Though the project is still in its infancy, the presentation aimed to outline what the center would potentially accomplish and put forth several ambitious ideas.
The project’s architect provided preliminary renderings, which included adding a new building to the existing police station structure. The proposed extension aims to incorporate a gymnasium inspired by the Boys and Girls Club facilities in Southern Pines.
However, concerns were immediately raised about the amount of greenspace lost as a result of the additions. At an earlier meeting regarding the downtown revitalization project, the board stressed the importance of maintaining the town’s greenspace to ensure Robbins sticks to its small-town agricultural roots.
Ruggles said these issues could be addressed in further design revisions.
Another innovative aspect of the proposal is creating a space that resembles a farmers market but instead serves as a space for the Coalition to distribute food. The choice comes from an aesthetic, community-based standpoint, and the design aims to provide a welcoming and visually pleasing entrance.
One of the largest components of this project is the integration of the Moore Free and Charitable Clinic. The clinic specializes in providing care for low-income individuals without insurance, focusing on chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
Questions were raised about how often the clinic would be open, such as daily or once a week. Previously, the clinic attempted to serve the Robbins area with a mobile unit, but this service was discontinued due to logistical issues, such as maintaining the vehicle and retaining a commercial driver.
The new location could potentially face several operational challenges, primarily related to staffing. One board member noted that the clinic would need to be sufficiently staffed “when the floodgates open.”
Ruggles stated that funding would play a determining factor in staff availability. “I’ve said in the proposal that we have formed a working committee, and we’d be happy to have members of the town commissioners or the town staff being a part of that committee,” Ruggles retorted. “It’s all a work in progress, and, you know, I think it’s dependent on a lot of things and one of them being getting funding.”
Moving forward, the board did, however, vocalize excitement about the Boys and Girls Club approaching the area. Director of Development Megan Keating was present to answer the commissioners’ questions and discuss what the project would entail for the Boys and Girls Club.
According to Keating, the Boys and Girls Club is excited about the potential of offering its programs in the northern Moore area. The club’s after-school and summer programs provide essential childcare and meals for children from kindergarten through high school. The club plans to coordinate with local schools to ensure that its services meet the needs of the Robbins community.
The Northern Moore Family Resource Center has long sought to establish a relationship with the Boys and Girls Club, and this project would be a step toward that goal.
When the board asked how many children the Boys and Girls Club would be able to accommodate for summer care and after-school care, Keating answered, “anywhere from 80 children to 150 children; a big part of what we do is that we don’t turn families away.”
Coupled with the recently presented downtown revitalization project, repurposing the old police station would be a step forward in community development with necessary refinements.
Feature photo: Rendering of Robbins Police Station renovations courtesy of the Town of Robbins.
~Written by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy.
UPDATE: “After a board of commissioners meeting last night (July 18), we are excited to announce that the Robbins leadership has authorized the staff to negotiate a contract regarding the proposed usage of the “Old Police Station” by a collaboration of Northern Moore Resource Center, Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills, Moore Free and Charitable Clinic, and the Sandhills/Moore Coalition for Human Care,” said the Town of Robbins. “We are thrilled to be moving forward together bringing these valuable services to our community.”
