VBT moves forward on plans for new rec center

A large community feasibility study, that was OKed in March 2019 to find out what the public wanted in a recreation center, was appreciatively received by the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees at its Jan. 19 Zoom meeting.
After a short discussion, the board members each gave a thumbs-up to end discussion on the project and to send the proposal for a recreation center to the Recreation Committee for an indepth study and comments and then put specifications together, go out for bids, hire a project manager who would hire contractors and present a guaranteed contract price.
The board would vote on the details before sending the specs out for bids.
The bids are expected to go out this fall and the building, estimated to cost $7,256,765, would be constructed in 2022.
Director of Public Service Matthew Best presented the completed study to the board, saying after a year and a half of work and significant input from people and staff, it is ready to consider.
He asked for discussion only but the board pressed to move forward.
Director Best said the feasibility study and the details for the proposed recreation center would be put on the township website the next day for residents to study.
The feasibility study and proposed building was put together by the team of architect Bert Koseck, Plante Moran Cresa representative Robert Stempien, and Marc Russell of Russell Design, who were hired as a team by the township.
The building would be a south wing attached to the senior center that would include a large gym with a running/walking track above the gym on a second level, locker rooms, a workout/weight room, meeting rooms that could be rented out for birthday parties, a child-care room and outdoor plaza.
The existing building would be renovated.
The wing would sever the loop around the present building that leaves the parking area at the police department open to the public. A gate would keep the police parking lot secure for safety purposes.
The gym would be double the size of the current gym and taller for soccer play. Windows would be carved into the building to bring daylight inside.
The new extension would have a door with a entrance cover in the shape of waves to tie in with the township’s lake theme.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara said the new area would generate revenue and it would only cost $200,000 more a year than now to run the buildings.
“This covers all we can afford,” Supervisor McNamara said. He said the booklets on the building were sent to the board first and then to the Recreation Committee.
The plan was to have a Phase 2 that would mean more community engagement to fine-tune the plan, but the board said the feasibility study got lots of input from the community and now it is time to let the Recreation Committee members fine-tune it.
Clerk Leon Wright said he likes the concept and doesn’t see any reason for more community engagement.
“We had that … and we haven’t had anything negative in comments,” Clerk Wright said.
“We’re not going to have a community up in arms because they don’t want it,” Supervisor McNamara said, adding if there were more community engagement they might come up with ideas “we haven’t thought of.”
Wright said ideas come with a price.
“If we are sticking with the goal of paying for this with township funds … We know what we can pay for … We’re not looking for a Taj Mahal,” Wright said.
McNamara said this can be sent to the Recreation Committee and it will take three to four months to get everything done. Then send it to the architects and go out for bids for a spring build.
Wright said he was OK with that and he doesn’t want to wait until 2023 to build it.
Trustee Reggie Miller asked do they want to go out again to the public and spend more money?
“Utilize the Recreation Committee,” she agreed. She said the township already did a survey and she doesn’t know why they did it by telephone because it could have been done by email.
“It’s a pretty comprehensive study,” said Trustee Kevin Martin. “I agree with Trustee Miller and Clerk Wright and I agree with Trustee Miller that this is what we can afford. I think we have a pretty good plan here.”
Treasurer Sharry Budd agreed she’d like the Recreation Committee to study this. She said there is enough time and new ideas could come to the Recreation Committee.
“We’ve been hearing the same thing for 12 years,” Wright said, referring to the residents’ desire for a recreation center and his 12 years in office.
“I think we should rely on the people we’ve appointed to do this,” said Miller, referring to the Recreation Committee.
Architect Koseck said as a designer he believes he got good information and he has had meetings with the Recreation Committee.
“The public already bought into it,” said McNamara. “We don’t have to sell them on what do we build.”
Director Best said after using the Recreation Committee they could bid it out before the end of the year and they would get a better price at that time.
“There’s going to be lots of changes to that plan,” Best predicted, adding the goal would be to break ground the beginning of 2022 and open in 2023.
Wright said the Recreation Committee knows the township and the people.
Trustee Donald Boynton said his concern is public safety and where people would go if a storm rolls through and the gym folds like a deck of cards.
“Where are folks going to go if a storm comes along?” Trustee Boynton asked, questioning if it will have a fallout shelter.
Koseck said, “You made some good points … We’ll make sure it’s safe… Duly noted and should be discussed… Knock on wood, we’ve never had a problem.”
McNamara said they would announce the Recreation Committee meetings in the paper and social media so the public can take part.
“I expect two, three, four meetings out of them,” McNamara said.
Wright said they could meet each month.
“There are some big holes in that plan that I would like changed,” McNamara said.
The recreation center was first discussed at length publicly after being brought to the March 4, 2019 work/study session of the board by Wright and Miller to see if the other board members were interested in the project.
Wright said the fire station bonds will come off the rolls in 2022, which free up about 6.5 mills.
“It’s time for us to do something for the residents who have to put up with two landfills – one hazardous and one not hazardous,” Wright said.
“We have to have some type of vision,” Wright said, adding he doesn’t think Waste Management is going to close down its landfill so the township won’t get tipping fees. He said Woodland is one of the most lucrative landfills for Waste Management.
“I wouldn’t bring this forward if I didn’t think we could do it … I think it’s time,” Wright said.
“We’re not asking residents to pay for it,” Wright said, explaining it will be done with budgeting.
During that discussion in 2019, two women in the audience supported senior citizen walking areas and just a basic community center without a pool.
McNamara had said the cost of maintaining a pool would be more than they could afford and he was against charging residents to use something built with their tax money.
Trustee Sherry Frazier said she would also like it to be a cultural center, and everyone seemed to agree.