FAIRMONT– The Community Center Advisory Board met on Wednesday afternoon in Fairmont to go over updated programming and concepts from the Aug. 15 stakeholder meeting.

Tom Betti of 292 Design Group, the architecture leading the programming and design for the proposed community center, went over details of the recent stakeholder meeting. Those included in the stakeholder meeting were representatives of the YMCA, which has submitted a letter of intent to operate the proposed community center; members of the Fairmont Area Community Center Foundation; members of Citizens 4 a Strong Fairmont; Fairmont Community Education and Recreation; members of various youth and sports organizations.

Betti said that in meeting, they discussed the importance of having an all-inclusive list on all of the extras, aside from the big features, needed in a community center.

As for the main features, the blueprint the board was shown Wednesday included an ice arena, fitness studio, field house, meeting rooms, administrative offices, locker rooms, storage space and aquatics.

Board Member Mike Edman asked how many square feet that came in at. Betti said it was 112,600 sq. ft.

Board Member Brandon Edmundson asked if there was room set aside for a dedicated senior space.

“We discussed it and it seemed that they were kind of happy with where they’re at,” Betti said, referring to the current “Senior Place” at the SMEC building.

He said the meeting rooms in the proposed community center could serve as a place for seniors to gather as they have a multi-function purpose.

Betti said since the recent stakeholder meeting, the YMCA has said they feel like they want a dedicated child watch area and while that wasn’t reflected in the blueprint shown to the board, he said they’re working on including it, which would add about 5,500 sq. ft.

“The other thing we did, we wanted to conceptually stick this on the property. There’s been many a times where we have this big site and you try to get the building on and it doesn’t fit well. This is working well as far as conceptually, we think we can fit what we need on the site,” Betti said.

However, he said they’re working on a property line delineation. The site for the proposed community center is along Johnson Street.

Betti said not only will the building and parking fit in the space, but that additional parking can be added if needed. He said green space will also be leftover.

City Administrator Cathy Reynolds pointed out that the concepts in the blueprint far exceeds the current budget of roughly $20 million. She asked Betti to speak to the process of getting from what was included to where they’ll end up.

“The good news is we have a plan that matches the program. The bad news is in terms of what we can afford, this is over 100,000 (sq. ft.) we probably can afford something that’s more like 40,000 (sq. ft.),” Betti said.

He said the next step is to get the YMCA’s input as they can help determine what spaces are needed to produce revenue and how to drive memberships, etc.

Dick Strassburg with Tegra, the city’s owner’s rep on the project, said they need to get the YMCA’s input and merge it with what the wants and needs that are outlined in the program.

“There’s a lot more wants and needs than there is budget to pay for it from a construction perspective,” said Strassburg.

He said they need to get the design down to ‘bite sized pieces.’ He also said they could either get water or ice but that the budget can’t afford both.

“This is at least 50 percent more than what’s in the budget. It might even need to be cut by 60 percent,” Strassburg said.

Edmundson asked if from here they put together a construction budget with the information and an operational analysis of the possibilities within the construction budget before they come back with options to consider.

“It seems like maybe the Y should do everything but the ice. I think the local hockey association should look at the ice. They know more about it than probably the Y does,” said Betti.

Board Member Kyle Gustfason, a representative of the hockey association, said they have compiled the information and numbers on what it costs to operate. He said they have also discussed programs that can be done in the off season to bring in some revenue.

“We looked at it last week… right now the YMCA in the country operates three ice arenas,” Gustfason said.

Betti noted that the YMCA is very good at operating water, field houses, child care and fitness centers but they’re not experts on ice.

“Ice is very unique in every market. Everywhere you go, they all have their unique twists on operations and memberships and everything else. It needs to be looked at locally,” Betti said.

Reynolds said in reviewing the concept designs and the addition of child watch, she asked the board what it thought of the big ‘wants’ list.

Edman, who has worked toward a community center in the past, called this process ‘deja vu.’

“I could literally delete 50 percent of that right now based off of all the information we have. Child watch is important,” Edman said.

He said including space for child watch is more important than some of the other spaces that were included in the design.

The next Community Center Advisory Board meeting is on Sept. 14.