Fight to save historic Daytona Beach recreation hall

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - A historic building in Daytona Beach could soon be torn down.

Closed for the past five years, the nearly century-old City Island Recreational Hall has seen better days, and now Daytona Beach city officials want to demolish the building.  

But some people say you can't put a price on history.  Fayne Leveille has lived in Daytona Beach her entire life. She now runs the Halifax Historical Museum.

Leveille told FOX 35, "There's an emotional feel to walking into a building like that, that you know was built by your city a long, long time ago, and it stood the test of time."

The building, located on East Orange Avenue, was once a vibrant community center.  Leveille says as a child, she went to community dances there, calling it a "glorious time."

Chris Duan worries city officials will erase a rich part of history that can never be brought back. 

Duan says, "You can't go forward if you don't know where you've been." 

City officials feel tearing the hall down would enhance the area.  A recent city report states,  "Staff has determined it would not be cost beneficial to structurally repair and refurbish the recreation hall building in the current economic market….Demolition will allow for the enhanced usage of the property."

The site sits right across from the Jackie Robinson Stadium, another incredibly powerful and important part of the city's past.

Leveille says, "The whole area is connected with history- you can't beat it. If you take one part out- it's going to feel empty."

City commissioners have ask for more information about how much it would cost to renovate the building.  A final decision isn't expected for several months.