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Why Elk River? <br />The invitation: <br /> -City Needs? <br /> <br />Presentation to Elk River City Council 23 July 2001 <br />Purpose: <br /> 1. Provide council with latest info. on proposed Family/Arts Center. <br /> 2. Invite City of Elk River to participate in "upgrading" the planned facility, or placing municipal <br /> needs/programs in the planned facility--co-partner in the planning of the facility. <br /> 3. Seek City assistance in securing a suitable Elk River site for the facility. <br /> 4. Beginning of an on-going dialog regarding this issue. <br />Update on the Family/Arts Center: <br /> -History & financial background: <br /> -$500,000 Early Childhood facilities grant from CFL (Governor's bonding bill). 34,000 <br /> s.f. approximate cost (2002 construction) of $5M. Excluding land. <br /> -District 728 responsible for above construction costs--anticipate fall 2002 bond <br /> issue. <br /> -School Board approved partnership with 2001 Arts Alliance (and vice versa!). Arts <br /> Alliance would co-fund "commons" space as well as arts education spaces <br /> (approx. 10,000 s.f.) at an approximate cost of $1.5M. <br /> -What is proposed to be in the facility? <br /> -A variety of early childhood programs (ECFE, ECSE, Early childhood screening, Head <br /> Start, WIC, Crisis nursery) rooms and staff areas. <br /> -Community education offices (including Adult Basic Education, child care for ABE, <br /> computer lab for community and adult use) <br /> -Community meeting spaces, including a large "commons" space <br /> -Supervised visitation space for County Social Services <br /> -Educational and exhibit space for the arts, and some performance space. <br /> -Preliminary design considerations: <br /> -Energy efficient facility to minimize operational costs. <br /> -Aesthetically appealing--a destination in and of itself. <br /> -Two-story construction as much as possible to minimize the "footprint" of the facility <br /> and land requirements. <br /> -No architect engaged at this point; we want to involve all potential partners before <br /> going much further. <br /> -Very natural partnership between the arts community and Community Education <br /> (lifelong learning for all ages) as well as an excellent opportunity for <br /> intergenerational learning and interaction under the same roof--pre-school <br /> through adulthood, with the arts an integral part of the building environment. <br /> <br /> -Savings for taxpayers. <br /> -Municipal input into the facility planning process. <br />A site: <br /> Current site problems at CE Center. <br /> Publicly reported discussions of City sites offered to the YMCA. <br /> -water tower site <br /> -40 acre industrial park east of 169 <br /> -other city owned property? <br /> 'onclusion: <br /> <br /> <br />