Pete McCown, Executive Director of the
Community Foundation of Elkhart County,
Addresses the Club about the Coming Elkhart Center
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President Ann McCuistion rang the bell calling to order the September 11, 2017 meeting of the Elkhart Rotary Club.
Invocation, Pledge, and 4-Way Test – Mick Faloon
Visiting Rotarians: Mo Jacobsen – Petaluma, CA
Greeters: Erin Kinzel, Erin Wagler, and Candy Yoder
Prior to introducing the speaker, Mel Jacobson mentioned that the reason we are part of service clubs is because it is a sense of community. Mel came to Elkhart when he was five years old and one off his first memories was being thrown in the YMCA pool; the reason Mel mentioned the YMCA is due to the project that is underway at the old YMCA site.
In the beginning of this project Mel met with Scott Puckett, Ann McCuistion and a few other Rotarians to get the Rotary involved in the challenge of raising the rest of the funding needed to complete the funding required for the Natatorium.
Dan Cripe is the lead architect in this job and this is the largest project in the history of Elkhart; there is opportunity to promote the entire fabric of what we do in this area.
Special Speakers: Pete McCown, assisted by Shelley Moore
This community needs your help to raise the last $2 million to complete this project; this can be a pledge made over the next four years in 2018-2020.
Several clubs are coming together, the Kiwanians, Optimists, morning rotary, noon rotary and Concord, to name a few to help support this project
Overview:
Health, fitness, aquatics Project overview.
The River District.
Ownership and Capital Funding.
The mission: Final $2M
Ground is 95% complete. The facility is going to be 3 times larger than the old YMCA; entrance to the facility is where the old Mexican Grocery store used to be.
The West side will be the entrance to Beacon medical & fitness space which will house a gym, lockers, childcare facility, offices and a dedicate pool for members/fitness; there will also be a 66 x 25 meter pool – equivalent to 3.6 high school pools. (Extra 16’ is for diving well). The two High schools will share a pool. There will also be a coffee shop, teaching art rom, and the school will have dedicated space.
2nd floor will have additional exercise and wellness area, 1/9th of a mile suspended walking track, one side will house 1200 seats for spectators to watch the swim events as well as various activities that are going on; 2 racket ball courts that can be transitioned into squash courts.
The backside of the outside area will have an outdoor patio and the Riverwalk will be extended.
East side will be the Community Center to the right it will house a library, fireplace, seating and to the left, 2 gymnasiums and a vending area.
The main atrium will be 3000’ with a multi-purpose room.
This will be 1 of 5 in the US configured this way.
There will be 16 targeted events; 11 are a minimum of two-three days, 5 are single day events; 1000 swimmers are expected as well as Regional USA Swimming invitationals, two diving meets per year, Four US Masters meets per year, four high schools league championships or invitationals per year; total unique attendees: 26,800 per year.
Event weekends 20-21 weekends/year
Attendee’s $35-36,000/year
Hotel room $16,350/year
Direct spend 42,950/year
$9.5M wages 7-8 fulltime, 100-125 part-time positions.
Economic impact $4,720,000/year
The River District
105 acres of redevelopment.
Over $250,000,000. Investment.
Team planning underway.
Jeff Speck, Urban planner.
16,000 overnight stays will attract redevelopment interest.
(This is going to be Elkhart’s version of Eddy Street Commons; East Jackson will be redeveloped as a Streetscape). 3 story hotel, parking garage; traffic studies are being done.
Acknowledge:
David Weaver – Chair
Dianne Benko, Bob Deputy, Tom Housand, Sharon Liegal, Shelley Moore
Ownership and Capital Funding
60% Equity – Elkhart Community Foundation
40% - Beacon
7 member Board represented by Schools, Beacon and ECF
Partnership will lease to Beacon $1 per year.
Partnership structure
Community Foundation - $500k
Elkhart Health & Aquatic Center
Beacon Health
Elkhart Community Schools - $400k lease per year
Beacon will be reserve funding $300k a year for 10 years.
Governing Board:
Mike Schoelfler, Chair
Jeff Costello, Vice-chair
Phil Newbold
Brian Smith
Jill Sighee
Cole Ptozzi
Karen Carter
Campaign Committee:
Bob Deputy
Shaon Liegl
Dianne Benko
Tom Housand
Joel Duthie
Dave Weaver
Mel Jacobson
Tom Pletcher
This will be: Transformational; A symbol off improved health and well-being; A Catalyst.
This will not only put Elkhart on the map but with a star by our name!!
If you are a member you can attend all 3 locations; a donation of $250 will waive the registration fee.
For more about today’s presentation and to keep informed on the progress of the Elkhart Center visit: https://elkhartcenter.com/