AUBURN — A new state-of-the-art community center on Chestnut Street is closer to reality this week after the City Council allocated $3 million toward the project.

The money from the American Rescue Plan Act will go toward the estimated $8.6 million cost of a new, 17,000-square-foot PAL Center officials hope to build over the next two years.

The PAL Center, housed in a former day care building, has grown into an important community need but far exceeds capacity to provide after-school programming for some 70 children and teenagers daily, officials said.

City leaders unveiled preliminary designs late last year after partnering with engineering firms Woodard & Curran and Simons Architects, both of Portland.

The council voted unanimously Monday to allocate the funding, with councilors envisioning the larger PAL Center as “the heart of the community.”

According to a city memo, the building has far exceeded its capacity of 43 people to “safely offer programming due to lack of space.” The center had to close its doors during the pandemic because of the limited space.

The proposed building plans feature a gym, kitchen, day care, multipurpose spaces for computers, art and a teen room. New outdoor amenities would include an athletic field and site improvements such as additional parking, lawn space, playground and community gardens.

Councilor Belinda Gerry said she supports the project because of what it would mean to the neighborhood, which has historically had among the highest crime rates in the city. Gerry said the PAL Center has grown in use because of meaningful programs like culinary arts.

City Administrator Phil Crowell, who as police chief spearheaded the initial center opening, said Auburn’s recent study on recreation found a lack of public gym space for youth basketball.

Councilor Joe Morin said Auburn has seen the “negative consequences from not having positive outlets for kids in the community.” He said when he was a teenager, the Boys and Girls Club in New Auburn kept him off the streets during years when he might have “otherwise would’ve been out looking for trouble.”

“This could really be the heart of the community,” he said.

A few residents who live on nearby Winter Street listed several concerns with the plan, including doubts with the city’s claims about capacity issue at the center.

Maureen O’Brien said Auburn “went ahead with (the design) without talking with anyone in the community” about the plan.

“That’s a lot of money. I don’t understand why the city goes ahead with plans without consulting anyone in the community,” she said.

Brian Gallagher said Auburn “keeps building buildings that never get used.”

Crowell responded that the center has been consistently seeing between 60 and 70 students per day after school, and that it tracks data by requiring students to sign in.

The City Council on Monday also allocated $1.65 million in ARPA funds toward a new firetruck.

Crowell said with the allocations, Auburn has a balance of $3.95 million in ARPA funds remaining. The city received a total of $13.5 million.

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