Build it, we'll be there

In the coming days, a new advisory committee will meet for the first time to organize and begin planning for how it will tackle one of the city of Sandusky's most ambitious plans — building and programming a new community rec center. There are a few things to remember as the windup begins, most importantly, in our view, is focus. As a community, we are kind of expecting miracles from the folks who agreed to serve on the committee. By a unanimous vote, in April, city commission formed the advisory board. Commission tasked the board to come back with rec center recommendations and develop a plan for it within a two-month time frame. We anticipate some wiggle room for that schedule, but we see the logic in setting up an ambitious timeline. It puts the target date at July 9, and there's a lot to do between now and then. The committee's organizational meeting is 5 p.m. Thursday, May 9 at City Hall. The good news, again, for the committee and the community is financing for a new rec center is already there. That's something the advisory board does not have to do. A portion of a new tax on Cedar Point visitors, 15%, that started being collected in 2022 is earmarked to pay for construction. And, last year, residents approved a rec center levy that will generate about $700,000 annually for operating funds. The construction cost fund is about $15 million total from the Cedar Point taxes over 20 years, but interest on loans and other costs could reduce that amount to about $11 million. The operating money, from the tax levy voters approved last year, plus the current recreation department budget should enable the city to build and operate a first-class center. Still, there are competing interests and competing views. We are expecting miracles from this committee, and the community must remember that. It's important for committee members and residents to dream big for what will serve community members across the spectrum, young and old, and how we collaborate with local institutions to build the best center and programming we can imagine that is financially sustainable over time. The collaboration and partnerships that are formed will be key, in our view, as will patience with the process, to achieve the goal of building and programming a unique, innovative and "only in Sandusky" community center.