Proposal

The Freeland Community Sports Association (FCSA) and The Tittabawassee Township Downtown Development Authority (DDA) are proposing a partnership with a medical facility to construct a 12,550 square foot medical building and a 66,188 square foot community recreation center in a convenient location for mid Michigan residents.

 

The medical facility and the FCSA would find it mutually beneficial to exist together at the same site. Both facilities provide exposure for client development and provide mutually compatible, shared services. It is beneficial to the community to provide rehabilitation and recreation services in a “one stop shop” location. These two facilities, constructed together, will increase the success of both ventures and provide a center for health and wellness.

 

Objectives

The objectives of this project are to positively impact the quality of life for area residents by providing recreational opportunities together with medical and physical therapy services in a location where there is a demonstrated need. The partnership with a medical facility is designed to ensure the financial sustainability of the community recreation center and the medical center.

 

The secondary objective of this project is to take a proactive approach to learning, development, improvement, achievement and participation by developing the FCSA as a location for educational, social and civic activities. The location and construction of the facility will permit multiple activities for all ages to take place concurrently, helping people to meet the needs of their children and themselves at the same time. The educational needs of children/teens, through recreation and social activities, will be given first priority in programming.

 

These objectives will be measured through participation rates by demographic groups and satisfaction level using periodic surveys.

 

Need for Project

Lack of Recreation Facilities: Survey data has determined that residents in the service area are lacking in high quality recreational facilities and activities that are within a reasonable driving distance with respect to work and home. Local existing facilities, including schools, do not accommodate individual needs, but more importantly, there is a severe lack of gymnasium and field house space for recreational sports teams and clubs.

 

Over 1,000 children participate in Freeland area sports and club activities. Extrapolating this figure to the entire service area and accounting for overlapping activities, there are well over 3,000 children involved in sports and other groups who could benefit from the FCSA facility. This is 48% of the total number of children in the service area. Non sports related groups such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4H, Boys and Girls Clubs will also benefit from the facility for meeting and recreational space. Individual children, specifically teens, will have access to a youth room, designed by teens and donated by a local civic organization that will offer a social location for teens to gather and meet others. The FCSA has a youth representative on its Board of Directors to help focus this effort successfully.

 

The administrative aspects of local sports clubs will also be combined at the Community Center to improve efficiency and accuracy of registrations, finances and data keeping. This will free up volunteers to coach and spend time with children instead of record keeping.

 

Lack of Medical Services : A medical facility has established a need for a location to provide both primary and secondary care in Freeland through market analysis, stated interested by providers and the current success of local medical facility doctors and physical therapy services. A medical facility and the DDA are working toward a ten year lease agreement.

 

Need/Benefit for a multiuse facility: As a Community Recreation Center , the facility will be designed to meet the related needs of all populations within the service area. The objective of providing opportunities for learning, development, improvement, achievement and participation are addressed with a multiuse facility open to everyone.

• civic needs (participation) - elections, community meetings, public hearings
• social needs (development) – after school programs, babysitting, parties, places for teens to meet, receptions, bingo
• medical needs (improvement) - physical therapy, doctor visits, therapeutic massage
• physical needs (achievement) - organized and drop in sports, conditioning, congregate meal site for seniors
• educational needs (learning) - Boys and Girl’s Clubs, Scouts, tax preparation, pottery, dancing

 

Organization

The DDA will own the land and both buildings and is working toward leasing the medical center building to a medical facility through a ten year lease. The lease payments will be channeled into the community recreation center to repay the debt over ten years and in the eleventh year, the payments will be used to supplement the operation of the recreation center.

 

The DDA will enter into a long term operating contract with the FCSA to operate the community recreation center. The FCSA will have the ability to contract with an outside organization, such as the Midland Community Center , to implement programming and oversee operations.

 

Service Area

The primary service area of the FCSA mirrors the Freeland Community School District . The secondary target area is identified by a five mile radius which encompasses three counties ( Saginaw , Bay, Midland ) and six townships (Ingersoll, Tittabawassee, Frankenlust, Kochville, Saginaw , Richland ). This area encompasses 9,868 households. These households represent 26,970 people, 23% of whom are children and 13% who are seniors.

 

Data from other Community Centers shows that between 20% (suburban Chicago ) and 60% ( Midland County ) of residents participate in the activities that recreational facilities offer. A conservative estimate of 40% indicates that 3,947 households or 10,788 people will be active users of the new facility.

 

The service area will be expanded to specifically target children participating in local Boys and Girls Clubs, sports teams, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4H and other programs not directly affiliated with the FCSA so that the maximum impact of the facility is aimed at offering educational opportunities for children through physical, social and community related activities.

 

A scholarship program is also being offered to permit families of all incomes to participate in activities. Eligibility criteria is modeled from several Midland County service agencies that offer scholarships and will be distributed as funds are available and needed.

 

Commuters will also be able to use the facility increasing its market area and impact. The Community Recreation Center will replace an inadequate 75 year old community hall building and become the meal/activity center for seniors in the area. The new site will also consolidate all voting precincts in Tittabawassee Township .

 

Outcomes

The objectives of this project will be measurable through the demonstrated reach into the community in memberships, variation in usage, service to other populations such as seniors and partnerships with other service and private organizations to provide a range of health and wellness uses. A medical facility is demonstrating their commitment to the community through the potential partnership with the recreation facility.

The medical facility component provides an economic development benefit by employing over 10 jobs from the Medical community. The Medical services sector is becoming a trademark for Saginaw County growth and the Freeland area is currently untapped in this market. The community recreation center will provide over five jobs, as well as enhance the climate and for residential and commercial growth in our community.

 

The impact and value of the Freeland Community Sports Association facility does not stop with a municipal boundary. Both empirical (source: Recreation Management, November 2006) and non empirical evidence show that facilities that reach both fundamental and discretionary aspects of people’s needs, benefit people in more ways that single purpose facilities. Yet not all benefits are quantifiable or predictable. The model being used with this proposal offers a facility that is both economically sustainable and will improve the quality of life of the people it services.

 

Financial Statement

 

Component	Cost	Percent
Total Cost	$5,528,046	100%
Local Contribution	$3,063,046	55%
Request from Foundations	$2,465,000	45%