From Aaron Goldhamer

Dear CPN Board,

I am writing with an update from the Rec Center Stakeholder’s Committee meeting held last week.  It’s my pleasure to continue to serve as CPN’s representative on this committee.  There is good news and bad news below.

As the attached presentation notes, the core “funded” program for the Rec Center remains on track, with the 8 lane lap pool, the leisure pool, a multipurpose room, a kid watch room, a gym, a fitness room, a group exercise room, and a smaller dog park on site.

Unfortunately, however, there a number of hoped-for features that do not have funding at this time.  The City has made some efforts to obtain sponsorship funds from philanthropic and corporate sources, perhaps in exchange for some naming rights in connection with rooms.  The City has not engaged an outside consultant to help with that process, to the dismay of some of the Stakeholders Committee.  As the City’s efforts to date have been unsuccessful, some Committee members urged a more nuanced approach to fundraising to ensure success.

Presently, there are insufficient funds to complete the roof top event space that had been contemplated.  There are two options for this space: an enclosed interior space as well as an exterior terrace.  The unenclosed exterior terrace could be built out without the interior space, at a lesser cost.  The fuller exterior and interior rooftop build out would cost $1.3M (and provide potential revenue streams for event rental), while the terrace alone would cost $275K. The City needs to have the $1.3M in hand or otherwise committed by June if that is going to part of this construction phase.

Likewise, there are insufficient funds right now for the contemplated exterior climb wall.  The cost of this wall is estimated at $330K.  If the City can obtain around $56K now, it can install the initial infrastructure for the wall with this construction phase, with the rest of the wall to be built out later as funds become available.

There is not funding right now for lapendary panels above the pools.  These panels help control noise in the pool areas, and have proven useful in other settings.  Their cost is $46K, and are cheaper to add in the initial construction phase rather than later.

There is not funding right now for the site amenities contemplated in the area next to the historic gate.  These amenities were envisioned to include table tennis and other game tables, some bouldering features, slacklines, etc.  Their cost is $350K, and can be added later.

Apparently, now, it is too late to build the walk/jog track over the gym and exercise areas, for which there was insufficient funding.  This is due to the sequence of construction and the structural steel elements on order.

The City has prioritized these various shortfalls as follows, with any additional revenue to be allocated in this order:

1. Cheaper rooftop terrace option ($275K)
2. Climb wall infrastructure ($56K)
3. Lapendary panels above pools ($46K)
4. Finish the climb wall (additional $274K after the infrastructure)
5. Site amenities ($350K)

While it is disappointing that there is insufficient funding right now for many features that had been discussed and sought by the community, hopefully some additional funds will materialize.  I’m happy to connect anyone who is interested in helping out with the fundraising with the relevant folks at the City.

Additional updates:

The drilled piers for construction are in the ground.  The retail pad site has still not sold; the City is back to “renegotiating” with the principal, undisclosed, potential buyer who has presented interest.

Parks & Rec has finalized its shared use agreement with DPS.  This agreement will provide for 70 parking spots to be reserved in East High’s lot for Rec Center patrons, outside of the 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM window, when East High’s spots remain reserved for teachers and students.  East High will have use of the Rec Center for swim team and meets, and some other functions.  Parks & Rec will be able to use East High’s turf field for programming (leagues, etc.) when it is not occupied by school events.

Let me know if you have any questions.  Thanks for everything you do!

Best,

AG

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