Track 21 takes new role with Presbyterian church

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Harrisburg Presbyterian Church has started a big renovation project on a nearby building.

The old Track 21 building, which was standing empty, was purchased by the church for use as a multi-purpose building.

The 5,000 square-foot building, long used as a teen dance hall, might also be available for rental, according to Bruce Boone, one of the volunteers involved in refurbishing the building.

"I think we will lease it out for wedding receptions or meetings," Boone said.

"I think it will be exciting for people to come in and see what we have done."

People who recall the dark interior of Track 21 will be surprised at the bright, open rooms and the mix of modern and old-fashioned that is coming out of the renovation project.

The workers, a mix of volunteers and contractors, had to take out most of the interior and start over. Concrete floors, poles and brick walls remain in the main area, which was opened up quite a bit by taking out the interior paneling and walls.

"We took it all the way to the brick walls and added some windows," Boone said.

Workers are going to put down a brick-pattern floor in the main entrance and the old dance floor area.

The room to the left of the main entry will be used as a youth room. A room behind the youth room is slated for use as an adult Sunday school and sitting room. A discovery made when workers were taking out the walls could make the adult room quite cozy.

"Lo and behold, when we took it down to the wall we found a fireplace. We may put (natural) gas in it," Boone said.

The old kitchen area was closed off and will be redone as a modern kitchen.

Some remnants of the building's past as a teen town can be seen in the building. Disco lights are stacked in a shopping cart. Mirrors are still on some of the poles in the main room. Some knotty pine walls were preserved -- cracks in the paneling have been hidden with battens.

Some of the interior wood was saved.

"There are still bits of teen town in here," Boone said.

The church purchased the building from the Harrisburg Park Board. The Fraternal Order of Police leased the bulling from the park system for a teen town, which closed. The building developed problems -- enough to break the budget of a small FOP lodge.

"The roof leaked, the carpet got wet, there were water problems," Boone said.

But an infusion of cash and work has the building looking almost new again.

"I am glad to see we are rescuing an old building instead of tearing it down," Boone said.

- The Presbyterian Church will show off the newly-renovated building at their annual Homecoming chill supper, 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday after the parade.