Caledonia Argus

Construction nearing completion at Four Seasons Community Center

Posted: 10/15/02

by Andrew Miller
Argus News Reporter

With construction at the Four Seasons Community Center slated for completion in the coming months, the Board of Directors called a public meeting on October 9 to answer questions, dispel rumors, and assess concerns.

ìWe called this meeting because thereís questions in the community about whatís going on and whatís not going on with the project,î said board member Paul Fisch.

Fisch began the meeting by outlining the progress that has been made with the construction.

ìThe roof is on, 75% of the brick has been laid, conduits and air handling units are being installed, and the plumbing is in,î he said. The blacktop on the parking lot, he added, will be put in sometime this week.

Financing for the project, Fisch mentioned, is still a concern.

ìWeíre about $40,000 to $50,000 under what we need to pay for the building,î he said.

Lack of funding has forced the board to eliminate some features of the building that community members had requested. Many people had lobbied for in-floor heating at the building, but the cost of that feature outweighed the benefits.

ìMany people wanted in-floor heat, but weíre not doing it because it cost $30,000,î Fisch said. ìAnd it would take 25 years to pay for itself.î

Though construction is still underway, 13-14 weddings have already been booked for 2003. $450 is the rental price the board has set for weddings, and this reserves the community center for the duration of a weekend, from 6 p.m. on Friday to 11 a.m. on Sunday. The board is also in the process of setting rental prices for other functions, which will range from $0-$100, depending on the type of event.

To keep rental prices low, the board hopes to raise a $200,000 endowment to help pay for operating costs. The facility, it is estimated, will cost between $12,000 and $16,000 to operate each year. If an endowment is established, the price of renting the community center can be kept comparatively low.

Questions directed toward the Board of Directors focused on rental prices, details surrounding wedding parties, and types of programs offered at the facility.

One woman commented that the rental prices at the community centers in Brownsville and New Albin are lower than at Four Seasons, and she wondered if perhaps Caledonia residents might be more inclined to rent out those facilities rather than the Four Seasons Community Center.

Fisch noted that rental prices are moderately higher at Four Seasons because the building was tailor made to the requests of the community. The building is bigger than in Brownsville and New Albin, and the facility is equipped with a full kitchen.

ìHow we came about building the building we did is we held meetings with 75-100 people and asked whatís important to them,î Fisch, said. ìWe compiled the responses and went from there.î

The design of the new community center, then, reflects the wishes of the community. Accomodating everyoneís wishes, however, comes at a price.

Another woman asked whether carpeting was being installed in the dining room. Her suggestion was to install tile, since carpeting stains easily and can be costly to clean.

Though the board hasnít reached a final consensus as to the flooring, Fisch commented that preliminary assessments indicate that carpet costs less and, with the aid of modern cleaning equipment, can be cleaned rather easily.

Several attendees inquired as to the protocol regarding wedding parties. One woman asked who would be responsible for cleaning up after wedding parties.

ìWedding parties will be responsible for cleaning up the facility,î Fisch said. ìDoes it have to be spotless? No. But weíre hoping people will clean up after themselves a little bit. Weíre going to charge $75 if itís just a complete mess. Itís a community building and we want to be good stewards of the building, but we have to pay the bills.î

Others in attendance were curious as to who would be responsible for the bar at wedding parties.

ìThe board is negotiating with the city to have them operate the bar,î Fisch said. ìItís going to be a cash bar with cans. This way, with the city running it, you have some control over who youíre handing that beer to.î

Whether there would be programs offered at Four Seasons for kids and young adults was another topic of inquiry.

ìThereí nothing planned yet, because the board is concerned mainly with the construction of the building right now,î Fisch answered. ìBut it is a possibility.î

The meeting concluded with an open invitation to all community members, urging them to contact any of the board members should any questions, concerns, or qualms arise regarding the community center

ìDonít hesitate to call any one of us if you have questions,î Fisch concluded. ìThereís been a lot of good support, but thereís been rumors flying around, and we want to get everything out in the open.î

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