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The community will have an opportunity to chime in on the planned renovation of the Ross Boddy Community Center at a public forum Thursday.

"This is an opportunity for us to get a sense of what the users want to see in the building," said Robin Riley, division chief of the Montgomery County Recreation Department.

Riley said the ideas could include everything from an expanded kitchen to rental space for birthday parties.

"Maybe they want changes outside, such as moving the playground closer to the ball fields or moving it up front closer to the street," Riley said. "We want to hear what people want so that we can better utilize the facility."

Barry Nix, president of the Sandy Spring Civic Association, welcomes the opportunity for citizen suggestions.

"Hopefully, the Ross Boddy recreation center will become a more fully functioning place that benefits all of the community," he said. "The community input is important. It is important from the county's standpoint as county officials are assured that the community is involved in crucial decisions about the purpose of the center, and it is important to residents, who want to assure that they are the beneficiaries of a new center that actually serves the needs of the community, and that they have a stake in its success."

The building was constructed as a school for African-American children in the early 1950s.

Marc Lilley, recreation manager for the mid-county region, said records show a renovation in 1989 brought the facility up to code and replaced the roof. Other improvements were made in the early 1990s, including heating and air conditioning upgrades, adding volleyball courts and resurfacing ball courts.

Riley said some preliminary design work has already been completed. After suggestions are gathered during the public forum, the architectural firm will rework the plans.

There will then be a second public forum to look at the updated design and a third and final meeting before moving into the construction process.

Riley said she expects the design phase to take 10-12 months and then the construction should take 18 months.

"We have to move quickly on the design phase because the funding is there," she said. "But we are still a couple of years out before this project will be completed."

The forum will be held at 7 p.m. at the center, 18529 Brooke Road in Sandy Spring.

A forum to discuss the renovation of the Ross Boddy Community Center will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the center, 18529 Brooke Road in Sandy Spring. For more information, call 240-777-4930.