4/5/2004 Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Recreation Commission Meeting April 5, 2004 With the growth and development of the new rinks, it causes the City of North Olmsted to have more capacity for people to play, and there are other rinks such as Brooklyn that are really slower and attempting to close down. There is an aging population in North Olmsted which may not have the same demands as is present. Once the Rec gets a clearer picture of what the five-year, ten-year needs may be, then the matter can be addressed. It would be very presumptuous of the Recreation Department to spend $2 or $3 million dollars in an upgraded facility if we're not sure it has a usage feature. Whatever is done, the City must know it will be utilized. If the Rec decides to go in another direction, there must be a usage feature as well. Mr. Stein discussed with Mr. Jesse the demands of the pool and other areas that are very critical. The end of the year will bring a better direction the Rec Department will be taking. In the sense of the facility itself, Mr. Galippo said that the Hockey Club would be looking toward putting up a sponsor board towards a more commercial product as opposed to keeping it tight knit for funding. Mr. Kelley said that there is a very fine line that must be followed. As a Commission and Commissioner over the past year and a half there have been great strides made. Also, there are constituents within the community that must be handled because the Recreation Center is a public facility. Strongsville's facility is a wholly-owned subsidiary, privately owned. The one being talked about in Avon Lake is probably going to be a privately owned facility. They will not support a tax levied community rec center. North Olmsted must stay right between the lines because there is a constituency to be watched, hence the five-year vision. Every one in this room today believes North Olmsted needs a new facility. Mr. Galippo said that the members of the Hockey Club did not want to leave without some idea of support from the Commission. He further stated that the Club members will attend the Rec Commission and Council meetings regularly so that they will be heard. The Hockey Club wants to keep its agenda on the table and see some progress. North Olmsted has one of the better hockey club programs in the area. Ms. Jones asked if there was anything on the list that could be satisfied. Mr. Limpert asked Mr. Stein if the cost of the cement would be about $400,000. He said that some of the things that could keep out of town people interested might be locker rooms and bleachers, because often- times it's mom and dad sitting in the bleachers who make the decision for their children's team. As great as it would be to put $400,000 into the cement and another $150,000-$200,000 into compressors, that's a big thing to bite all at once. Maybe $18,000 here and $20,000 there could make it more appealing. Do the more cosmetic items first. Mr. Galippo repeated that putting a sponsor board up would generate funds. Generating $5,000 from a sponsor board would help. In August, the NOHC would like to go out to collect money for the sponsor boards. They are more than willing to do some work, raise some funds, and do their share. Another note was that a 70- 75% non-resident base is bringing revenue into the North Olmsted Rec facility, about $350,000 over the last two years in rental fees. Page 4