Hi Krystal - Thanks for sharing these thoughts, and for the work the committee has done over the years on this issue. I recognize it's a volunteer endeavor, and genuinely appreciate that.
What I'm struggling with - and what I think many other folks are struggling with as well - is that we haven’t seen any alternatives that take into account any existing fiscal constraints. No one has provided a substantive response to the specific concerns I raised previously. Basically I said “guys I don’t think we can afford a $25m+ community center and here’s exactly why, in detail” and the response thus far has been “we’ve wanted it for ten years, we’ve studied it, and it’s the only solution. It will be great for the community.” Look - a $25M+ community center sounds amazing, and candidly I’d love to use it. But I also recognize that; (a) we can't afford it without raising taxes by a lot, (b) it costs a lot more to build and finance then it did in previous years, which changes the calculus and previous analyses are no longer valid, (c) we have to operate it once we build it, and that’s a long term commitment, (d) the town has other mission-critical priorities (like DPW for example) that also need to be paid for, and (e) we just built and renovated a very expensive school. What you've presented feels like two options. One, we build a $25M+ community center. Or two, we hack together using only what we have. I personally would like to see Option 3 and Option 4, where we prioritize and improve certain mission critical items (like the LEAP pod for example), and optimize other under-utilized spaces - all in the context of a capital budget that manages people's expectations and reconciles needs and wants with economic and fiscal realities. I know and understand this community center project is a labor of love for many, but to be candid, it just doesn't feel to me like there is town support for a $25M community center and if that's the case we need to evaluate whether it's prudent to spend over $300K developing designs for something Lincoln won't vote to actually build. Seth I Rosen Cell: 617-771-5602 Email: rosen...@gmail.com On Fri, Nov 11, 2022 at 8:07 AM Krystal Wood <ccbccommunicationscommit...@gmail.com> wrote: > Community Center Building Committee- November, 2022 > > Why would Lincoln build a new Community Center rather than use existing > buildings? > > Lincoln has known for a long time that Bemis Hall is not an appropriate > building for the Council on Aging & Human Services (COA&HS): > > · A 2008 needs assessment “determined that Bemis Hall not be the > long-term home for the COA.” (Since that assessment, the Lincoln senior > population has increased by 50%.) > · In 2012, the Community Center Feasibility Committee (CCFC) concluded > about Bemis Hall that it was “not built to be a modern senior center with > myriad programs and services.” > · The CCFC reiterated in a 2013 follow-up that Bemis is “not well suited > for a senior center.” > · In February, 2015, the Community Center Study Committee (CCSC) > reported that, “compared with neighboring towns, the quality, size and > condition of Lincoln’s COA facility is vastly inferior, and its physical > deficits limit the programs and services which can be offered to elders.” > · The CCSC provided additional detail about the shortcomings of Bemis > Hall: “the interior space does not allow for congregate meals, a significant > drop-in area, adequate and confidential office space for staff and > volunteers, private restroom locations, or all programming needed to meet the > needs of Lincoln’s growing population of older adults.” > · In 2018, the Community Center Preliminary Planning & Development > Committee wrote more broadly that: > > Doing nothing to provide adequate facilities for the COA, PRD [Parks & > Recreation Department], and community organizations is not an option. The > physical plants of both Bemis Hall and the pods continue to age, and it makes > no sense for the Town to continue to expend scarce tax dollars to fix up, > patch up and make do with facilities that do not suit their purpose. Just as > important, every year that these departments and organizations are not able > to provide the range of activities and programs that are standard in other > towns and are located in buildings that discourage residents from making use > of their services means that opportunities to improve residents’ quality of > life are lost. > > In 2012, the CCFC studied other town facilities, asking whether any existing > building could serve as a better home for the COA&HS than Bemis Hall. The > CCFC concluded that no other existing building could serve the needs of the > COA. Pierce House, for instance, has two assets – a good location and > plentiful parking – but fails on every other criterion as a potential home > for the COA&HS: the spaces in the existing building don’t match the > programmatic needs, the possibilities for extensive expansion or > reconfiguration are very limited, and Pierce House couldn’t accommodate the > Parks & Recreation Department (PRD). > > For over 10 years, Town Committees have studied and evaluated options for a > Community Center., and have consistently concluded that continuing to offer > activities and services under the existing conditions of Bemis Hall and the > pods is no longer feasible or acceptable. Other existing town facilities do > not offer a solution to the problem. If Lincoln wants a Community Center, > then building a new one is the most efficient use of town resources. > > We welcome all input and questions from town residents, and will make every > effort to solicit, hear, and address the priorities, values and concerns of > Lincoln residents concerning a new Community Center. > > -- > The LincolnTalk mailing list. > To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. > Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. > Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. > Change your subscription settings at > https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
-- The LincolnTalk mailing list. To post, send mail to Lincoln@lincolntalk.org. Search the archives at http://lincoln.2330058.n4.nabble.com/. Browse the archives at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/private/lincoln/. Change your subscription settings at https://pairlist9.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/lincoln.
