Upper Kittitas County Community Recreation Center

02/22/2025

⭐️ WE NEED YOUR HELP - please support the Recreation Center with a couple clicks!

In Olympia, House Bill 1037 has advanced to the House Finance Committee! The Committee will discuss our bill at 8:00 AM on Monday, February 24.

✅ Send a pre-written letter of support to the House Finance Committee: https://shorturl.at/vkOJt

✅ Add your name to the record in support of the bill. Click this link, then select PRO in the first field: https://shorturl.at/ehPmT

Please SHARE this opportunity to support legislation that will help us make the Upper Kittitas County Community Recreation Center a reality!

01/14/2025

⭐️ WE NEED YOUR HELP! Please support the recreation center with a few clicks! ⭐️

Bills were filed in the State House & Senate to amend WA law and allow us to create a Public Facilities District in Upper county - and we need the community's support.

Follow this link to send a pre-written support letter to WA legislators: https://shorturl.at/NmtPP

Add your name to the record in support of the bills - select PRO in the first field:

HB 1037: https://shorturl.at/ojLmd
SB 5053: https://shorturl.at/rc95Z

Please share this opportunity to support this legislation that will help us make the Upper Kittitas County Community Recreation Center a reality!

We’ve made exciting progress toward making the Upper Kittitas County Community Recreation Center a reality! Most immediately, we have bills before the Washington State Legislature to modify the Public Facilities District (PFD) statute, allowing us to form the most ideal taxing district to make the...

04/12/2024

🏊🏻‍♀️ In case you missed our recent newsletter - we have a new project update to share with you!

🌞 We have submitted for a building permit! In the next six months, we will have a “shovel-ready” project, which is an important milestone - since grants, donations, and other sources of funding are more available to projects that are shovel-ready.

🚧 We have been exploring the idea of a Public Facilities District, because this is the ONLY financing vehicle that would allow us to use property taxes to help finance the construction costs that we cannot fund with grants, etc. AND other taxes, such as lodging taxes, sales tax, and others to help fund operations.

💡 Our ultimate goal is to find the BEST solution, with the highest probability of success, before undertaking the effort and expense associated with bringing the Community Recreation Center financing plan to a vote. We hope to have a better idea in the next several months of which path we plan to use.

📧 Thank you for your ongoing support of this project! For more information and to stay in the loop, email [email protected] to be added to our newsletter distribution list.

02/01/2024

✨ New updates! The Schematic Design is complete! The proposed Community Recreation Center will include Fitness and Child Watch. What does this mean?

🏋️‍♂️ Cardio machines, weights, fitness classes, and more!
🧑🏽‍🍼 A Child Watch space where younger children can be cared for while parents use the amenities in the recreation area.

Click the link below to understand WHY these decisions were made, the costs associated with them, and more.

https://www.recreationukc.org/project-updates-1

01/31/2024

🎉 New year, new updates! The Schematic Design is complete and includes decisions regarding additions to the natatorium:

🌊 A warmer recreational pool AND a cooler lap pool
🏊🏽 A six-lane pool to accommodate competitive swim
🐳 The splashpad as part of a community park that will be open to the public

Click the link below to understand WHY these decisions were made, the costs associated with them, and more.

https://www.recreationukc.org/project-updates-1

11/10/2023

🏊🏽 “A Pool” is not just “A Pool” - What attributes should our future pool have?

📄 During our recent community meetings, we’ve heard a variety of opinions about the latest design proposal, and we’d like to better understand some specifics about what the majority of our community members want at the recreation center.

💡Please respond to the brief survey via the link below and tell us what you think!

📣 If you were unable to join our recent community meetings, you can see the most recent design proposal under the Project Updates tab on the website.

🙏🏼 Thank you for helping to further define the Community Recreation Center as it moves toward the next exciting phase - Detailed Design!

https://survey.sogolytics.com/survey1.aspx?k=RQsRPXXQSsUUsPsPsP&lang=0

10/26/2023

👏🏼Thank you to everyone in the community that joined the first in-person meeting to share opinions, ideas, and suggestions for the Schematic Design Phase!
⚡️The enthusiasm, input, and brilliant ideas was inspiring as we work towards the next milestones of the project.
💻 If you were unable to join tonight, we have a virtual meeting at noon tomorrow October 26 and 6pm on November 1.
✍🏼 You can register via the link below which will direct you to our website!
https://www.recreationukc.org/community-meetings

10/15/2023

🌲 Our Community Recreation Center project is moving into the Schematic Design Phase and we need YOUR voice!

Join an upcoming Community Meeting via the link below to share your opinions on the following:

+ Updated floor plans
+ Programming area decisions
+ Parking stall plans
+ Tree conservation efforts
+ Exterior building characteristics

We will have an in-person meeting on Wednesday, October 25 in Cle Elum, and two virtual options on Thursday, October 26 and Wednesday, November 1.

✨Visit the link below to register for your preferred meeting option, and we will see you soon! ✨

https://www.recreationukc.org/community-meetings

09/28/2023

💭 Interested in the status of the Community Recreation Center (CRC) project and how you can get involved?

Visit our information booth at the Skatepark Fundraiser event, this Saturday, September 30th, at Dru Bru Cle Elum, starting at 6pm. (And be sure to support the Skatepark initiative!)

We want to build a facility that the community loves and uses - and we need YOUR voice to do it 💡

Support the Cle Elum Skatepark Committee grab a beverage of your choice, and swing by our booth to share your ideas and opinions on this recreation center we’re collectively creating for our community.

10/20/2022

We’re redoubling our efforts to find ways to raise more from private sources and public grants to reduce the tax burden. However, we know it’s likely that both capital and operating levies will be required to provide a guaranteed stream of funds to effectively operate and maintain the facility. You can learn more in the Feasibility Study Final Report on our website – RecreationUKC.org.

10/17/2022

There are two categories of cost associated with community recreation centers: one-time construction (or capital) costs and ongoing operations/maintenance costs. Given the size of our community, projections indicate 25-30% of construction costs could be provided through fundraising efforts like public and private grants, foundations, and donations. For ongoing operating costs, user fees alone would never be enough to cover projected expenses, so an operating levy may be required to fund the shortfall. We hope you take a moment to learn more about the financial outlook today, and remember that the project team members are working hard to find every way possible to reduce the public subsidy of both construction and operating costs.

Uniting our community to create a responsible, sustainable, inclusive facility that delivers the services, recreation opportunities, and programs that our community values.

10/14/2022

Over 80% of our survey respondents said they supported and are willing to financially support one or more of the proposed future community centers. Learn more about the proposed funding model today! https://recreationukc.org