A pair of Community Center Task Force members are proposing a multi-location project that would feature a new south side facility, funding to improve an existing senior center, and a city grant for an expanded youth center at the Knox County YMCA, all while remaining near the recommended budget cap.
Task force members Adam Sampson and Demarkius Medley presented the most detailed proposal to date during Tuesday’s meeting at Carl Sandburg College. It was the seventh meeting of the task force. The target date for the group to complete its work is Nov. 30 with a target date to present to City Council of Dec. 4.
A proposed multi-location approach, including the Y
In a detailed plan presented by both Medley and Sampson, they say the objectives of their proposal are:
- Need 1: Serve youth, teens and seniors
- Need 2: Consider transportation and location
- Need 3: Consider on-going costs
- Need 4: Not duplicating services that the city already provides and other entities are providing
- Need 5: Use a $2.5 million budget
Medley is a farmer and owner of Galesburg-based Greenlords Pharms, and Sampson is the executive director of the Knox County YMCA.
Sampson started his presentation by saying, “From the feedback we have received, you are not talking about bricks and mortar, you were talking about programing. We’re trying to move the needle with kids, and provide the seniors with something.”
Sampson also said the locations citied in their recommendations could be substituted for other locations like the soon-to be Galesburg Public Library at 40 E. Simmons St.
The proposal recommends:
- Grant $500,000 to the Oaks Senior Center and/or VNA to improve the physical structure to allow seniors (55-years-old and up) a more environmentally functional space and spur programming. No ongoing City of Galesburg costs as the Oaks Senior Center and/or VNA will be responsible for being experts in providing seniors necessary programming.
- Allocate $900,000 to build and operate a 1,400 square foot (a small building in size to keep operating costs down) meeting/gathering space at H.T. Custer Park. This facility will be available to be rented for family gatherings and other rental purposes. The amenities will include in the 1,400 square foot facility a small kitchen and restroom. The City of Galesburg will be responsible scheduling rentals, cleaning and maintaining. See attached on-going ($21K annually) City of Galesburg annual budget.
- Grant/Allocate $800,000 to the Knox County YMCA to assist in the building of an indoor playground and child watch space (named City of Galesburg Play Zone) to serve youth (birth to 11-years-old) to enhance opportunities of youth for free play especially during the colder months of the year. In addition to indoor playground space the current free play space/indoor playground and child watch will be totally renovated and fitted with equipment to attract teens called the Teen Center(12-17-years- old). This space will have a lounge (hangout areas) space and homework help area (STEM Lab).The Teen Center will need a Youth Development Director that will be a partnership of the Knox County YMCA and the City of Galesburg. The Youth Development Director will be an employee of the Knox County YMCA and managed by the Knox County YMCA. This employee will be responsible for managing and programming the Teen Center. The City of Galesburg will be responsible annually for the cost of the salary, benefits and taxes directly associated with paying this staff member.
- Set aside (city governments in general have specific guidelines to follow) in general $100,000-$200,000 to be used annually ($15K-$25K annually would be reasonable) for future needs for transportation and marketing/communication of transportation options and targeted transportation. The use of targeted transportation that is flexible to deliver participants to the stated needs (senior center & youth facilities) can be achieved by ensuring transportation needs are met.
- Grant $200,000 to an entity or entities located in Galesburg that are providing entertainment and programming for children like the Skate Palace (roller rink) as one example. There are other entities that serve food, teach skill sets and others that could apply for these grants. No ongoing City of Galesburg costs as these identified entity or entities will be responsible for being experts in managing their not-for-profits and/or businesses.
Community Center Proposal – 10-24-23 by WGIL Radio on Scribd
“I hope people will trust this plan,” Medley said. “I came into this not knowing if I wanted to work with anyone, but cooler heads have prevailed, and this shows we can work together to show the true power of Galesburg.”
Chairman: ‘We will not take the project to the finish line.’
The proposal was met with mixed reaction from members of the task force and some of the nearly 10 members of the public who attended Tuesday’s meeting. Two citizens objected to partnering with and providing funding to the Y, saying a community center should be owned and operated by the city.
Several of the 14 task force members in attendance Tuesday presented their top 10 needs and amenities.
Members were requested to individually come up with their top 3 prospective sites for a community center for the next meeting. Utilizing the site of the Galesburg Public Library at 40 E. Simmons St. received support from several task force members Tuesday.
Task Force Chairman Tony Franklin reminded members their goal was to collect information and provide ideas, and the City Council will ultimately decide the future of a community center.
“We are here to make proposals,” he said. “We will not take the project to the finish line.”
He added, “We want the community center to be a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everyone. I want to debunk the myth the community center is just for low income or people of color. This is not just for people of color, this is for everyone in the community.”
The remaining two task force meetings are Nov. 7 and 21, both in the Crist Student Center at Carl Sandburg College.
