For decades, The Center and its predecessor, Bethune-Douglass Community Center, have been providing direction to kids and families who desperately needed it.
That tradition will be jeopardized if the planned Saturday closing of The Center facility at 600 Campbell Street comes to pass.
The current owners of the facility, the Lycoming County Housing Authority, say they can no longer legally and financially support it. MeriLyn Severson, executive director of the authority, said the agency will honor deed restrictions on the property that will keep the building a community center.
That's the good news.
But it takes money to operate the building and people who care enough to run programs that benefit the education and cultural enrichment of the kids and families using The Center. Lots of people.
Despite the wishes and good intentions of some involved with The Center to control their own facility, there doesn't appear to be enough money, organization and people to do that effectively.
That doesn't mean those things can't be developed.
It will take a strong commitment from people who care to keep The Center as a viable hub for needed education and cultural enrichment. No matter how well intentioned people are, more of them are needed and financial and management stability needs to be established for The Center as we know it to survive.
Bitterness at an eviction notice won't solve that problem and, fortunately, that bitterness didn't appear to be present at a vigil service regarding The Center Sunday night.
The next step is for all those who feel this loss deeply to keep it from happening.
We hope there are the numbers of people and resources necessary to bring The Center back from the edge of its cliff to the place that it was meant to be a hub of cultural and educational enrichment for a large segment of Williamsport's population.
The ideals are correct. They need to be matched by commitment, organization and stability.
