LEWISBURG — An executive director has been selected for the new recreation and wellness center coming to Lewisburg. The primary benefactors of the facility, the Miller family, owners of Playworld Systems, announced that Jim Mathias will be executive director. It will be known as the Miller Center for Recreation and Wellness and is scheduled to open in 2016. The recreation center will be located in the Penn House Commons development along the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail.
For the past four years, Mathias has served as the president of the board for the Buffalo Valley Recreation Authority and he will step down from that role to devote his full-time attention to the recreation center. Mathias will be responsible for all operational aspects of the center and will collaborate with architects, engineers, and community resources to finalize planning for the facility.
The center will feature multi-purpose hard surface courts, activity rooms, exercise areas, gymnastics and other sports and fitness activities. The Miller Center for Recreation and Wellness will also collaborate with Geisinger Health Systems to bring research opportunities to the center. That includes tracking health outcomes of programming delivered for individuals. There will also be early childhood development services, summer camp and outdoor nature programs. (Ali Stevens)