CURRITUCK — Public support for a recreation center has been growing for years as something Currituck County needs.

Then prior to May's primary election, residents got more vocal about the idea.

Apparently, the Currituck Board of Commissioners heard from its citizens, and voted Monday to start moving forward with plans to build a rec center and senior center next to the county's new N.C. Cooperative Extension building in Barco.

Commissioner Gene Gregory said, "We have been promising people that we would build a rec center with a senior citizen center."

Commissioners considered constructing a center about five years ago, that would include a recreation center with a swimming pool, a new

senior center, and provide space for the Currituck Arts Council. However, the plan was to complete the new Cooperative Extension building first.

Scanlon said that the county currently has about $13 million, of the estimated $20 million needed to construct the project.

Currituck's finance director, Sandra Hill, said

Wednesday that the money to build the rec center can be raised with occupancy tax funds. She added that Currituck's legislation regarding occupancy tax revenue specifically states that 4 cents of the 6 cents collected in occupancy tax can be used for operational uses such as a rec center.

Commissioners voted unanimously to direct the county manager to meet with an architect to get working drawings. Scanlon said that he believes that process will take about nine to ten months to complete.