AUBURN — The Hasty Gymnasium will get new bathrooms and work on a senior center, city councilors agreed Monday night.

The council agreed to borrow $7.5 million this year for capital projects for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Bonds will pay for $4.5 million in road repairs, drainage work, $100,000 to demolish unsafe buildings, $225,000 for plow trucks and sewer work at the city’s old landfill.

The bond package also includes $320,000 for handicapped-compliant restrooms at the Hasty Gym and $95,000 for a senior center there.

Former City Councilor Belinda Gerry urged councilors to do both projects at the Hasty Gym at Pettengill Park next door to the city’s Ingersoll Turf Arena.

“There are other places in the community that seniors could go, but they don’t offer the full set of opportunities that the complex does around Pettengill Park,” Gerry said. “I’m asking to leave the funding the way it is and allow senior programs to expand.”

The bond package is one part of the city’s budget work for the 2016-17 fiscal year, set to begin July 1. A final reading on the budget is set for June 20.

Councilors turned back a last-minute request to buy a wooden floor for the Norway Savings Bank Arena, saying they needed more time to discuss it.

Marc Gosselin, general manager of the Norway Savings Bank Arena, said the $137,500 floor could be placed on top of the main arena’s ice surface, allowing managers to convert it quickly to be used for events such as dances, conventions, meetings and concerts.

“It would allow us to run events 12 months out of the year, instead of two,” Gosselin said. “Right now, we take the ice out in April and May and that’s it. That’s the only time we can run non-ice events in the facility, on the cement floor. Using this ice deck would allow us to run events in September, events in December, beyond ice hockey.”

Councilors said they would be willing to consider the idea if it’s part of the formal capital process and is brought up earlier in the year.

“It may be a good idea, but I want the time to think about it,” Councilor Andy Titus said. “It should be given the time to be a complete plan vetted by staff and presented to the council. I’m nervous about approving something like this too quickly.”

Councilors tied on their vote to include the floor in the capital plan with Robert Stone and David Young joining Titus to oppose it and Jim Pross, Leroy Walker and Grady Burns supporting it. Ernestine Gilbert abstained from voting, and the matter fell 3-3-1.

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