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• August S,LUIS • txwtuu wµttwe r_tn
<br /> 13,47, ! n-,l " 'mot, ..
<br /> OTSEGO ROGERS ZIMMERMAN
<br /> Thinking outside the box,
<br /> rinks and centers
<br /> •City to study if Lions Park :
<br /> could be home to new arenas,
<br /> senior center and banquet ' ' x"y
<br /> center that could make money
<br /> by Joni Astrup
<br /> Associate Editor '
<br /> The city of Elk River might explore
<br /> the feasibility of building a multi- -
<br /> purpose community recreation facil-
<br /> ity.
<br /> City Administrator Cal Portner
<br /> said such a building could include, -':i* ` . .
<br /> but not be limited to, two sheets -' ^ - ' - - .
<br /> of ice and ,•,,,,,-. r-
<br /> associ-
<br /> ated arena r v-fit'
<br /> facilities, a
<br /> senior cen- -vii. '
<br /> ter, a ban- - ,
<br /> quet hall - d4 +e^,'Y.
<br /> with a full i 4 ,?,,.t. '
<br /> kitchen and - x.
<br /> retail space. .x.., moto or,omi•toeseb•,s
<br /> The Elk ,•,,, The Elk River Activity Center,which used to be the library, is
<br /> River City s - located at 413 Proctor Ave.
<br /> Council is
<br /> looking at `tt
<br /> soliciting Lion's Park is being
<br /> proposals examined for feasibility. .
<br /> from firms
<br /> interested ..
<br /> in doing a master planning study "
<br /> to determine the feasibility of the
<br /> concept. Once the city has propos-
<br /> als,the council can decide if it wants
<br /> Si 1
<br /> to spend the money on the study, ter,a`;`
<br /> Portner said.
<br /> The goal of the study would be to -�-it.' t e b
<br /> find the feasibility of building the
<br /> multipurpose facility at Lions Park, _ r �z_r` -
<br /> financed primarily with the follow w, `E+
<br /> mg money: r+
<br /> Building Replacement Fund, ,; wlf+ 4,;
<br /> which now has money earmarked �k'.'( 4_' •`' f
<br /> for repairs to the Elk River Ice ` 'E'f '� .�,,
<br /> Arena,the Elk River Activity Center '* - i�. - `%`
<br /> and Lions Park Center.
<br /> •The sale of the activity center at Photo by Jon/soup
<br /> 413 Proctor Ave. and the ice arena Lions Park Center, former home to city park and recreation
<br /> at 1000 School St. as well as the starters,is in um;park,
<br /> city-owned parking lot to the east of
<br /> the arena
<br /> •New revenues from the new Phut ;F. ffi
<br /> tipurpose building, grants and the `
<br /> energy efficiency of updated facile ` j,
<br /> ties. .r ' l'l
<br /> "I think there might be some A "4 z ' a 1,' =.i
<br /> opportunity here that we can prob- .x - a['k ,,y� -..
<br /> ably build a facility that meets a lot °`}i*»
<br /> of different needs without much,or 1
<br /> any,new public money,"Portner told i -� ,
<br /> council members during a recent ® �' .3 'a 3 v aw ,
<br /> work session. 1"'f';-.
<br /> The site at Lions Park under con =
<br /> sideration is where the Lions Park
<br /> Center building now stands.If that
<br /> scenario were to go forward, Lions
<br /> Park Center would. be demolished, ii Portner said. - It f
<br /> City-owned sites other than Lions * .�' .�. ,,. ._
<br /> Park could also be considered, he — _.
<br /> - .ww
<br /> said. One advantage he sees of a .w„ '- `isiC"l >,._ --
<br /> recreation facility at Lions Park is
<br /> Amy
<br /> it would be close to the schools and n1°f°b'''s'"
<br /> The Elk River Ice Arena,located at 1000 School St„next to the
<br /> Feasibility to page 9 school.
<br />
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