The $293,000 recently approved is a window into that. “They are not inexpensive buildings, and they are very heavily utilized.”Ĭouncil members questioning the centers stop short of saying they should be closed, but several have asked for a more detailed accounting of what public dollars are buying. “They are a beast to maintain and renovate,” Curtis said. Both need major renovations, and the city plans a study next year to determine if they should be renovated or rebuilt.Ī consultant’s report shows Seatack needs an estimated $1.5 million expansion to build meeting and workout space, while the other three centers are in better shape because they were built after 1990. The Kempsville site is 31 years old and Bow Creek is only two years younger. The buildings are only going to cost more in coming years, Curtis said. “Without the dedicated referendum-funding stream,” Curtis wrote in a recent report to council members, “revenues… could not sustain the facilities and programs at the levels currently enjoyed by our citizens.” Future increases are possible, as the city tries to shift revenue costs to program users. The centers’ costs are offset by program fees, annual memberships and other money-makers, but Curtis said cash flow pays for only about half of the operating expenses.Īn annual membership fee for a Beach adult will rise from $55 to $66 on July 1, and yearly youth memberships will rise from $22 to $27. Neither line item includes general administrative costs – such as payroll or purchasing – that is budgeted into overall city spending.
VIRGINIA BEACH REC CENTER DROP OFF HOURS BOW CREEK FULL
Workers maintain six swimming pools, two bowling alleys and a full preschool program.Īll told, budget officials say the operating bill for the budget year that starts July 1 is $12 million.ĭebt payments and capital projects add $6.7 million to the cost. Security systems installed after 9/11 need to be staffed and maintained. Six of the city’s top 20 electricity users are recreation centers. “There are times of the day and times of the year that you can’t get in the door.” “The people that are buying the memberships are using us,” said Mary Cole, a recreation department administrator. Between 20, the number of members 60 or older rose 37 percent, data shows. In a twist, the centers are more popular with seniors. The 12 percent drop in adult memberships is blamed mostly on competition from private gyms, a tightening economy and shifting interests. “Every business person has to make a decision on how much are we going to lose, how much are we going to let the program lose, before we stop.”Ĭindy Curtis, Virginia Beach’s parks and recreation director, said membership is an issue, but officials understand what’s behind the numbers.Ĭurtis said a 16 percent drop in youth memberships from fiscal 2003 to 2007 mirrors the shrinking population of students that the school division has seen.
“It’s like most losing investments,” she added. McClanan said, regardless of the rates, membership drops trouble her because it makes little sense to accept rising costs and shrinking use. On July 1, that rises to $280 a year, or less than $23.50 a month.īy comparison, private gyms can cost $50 a month. City residents pay less than others, but even people who live in other cities can buy a year’s membership for $187, or less than $16 a month. The centers aren’t free, although they are among the least expensive in the region. “I don’t think we can just say you can spend $20 million a year the way you want,” Councilwoman Reba McClanan said. It now stands at 3.476 cents, which is forecast to generate roughly $19 million in fiscal 2009. With the rise in property values over the ensuing 12 years, the dedicated percentage of the tax rate rose and fell. Over time, that dedicated stream of money absorbed the costs of expanding and running the Seatack center and operating the Kempsville site, the oldest of the city centers.īy 1996, the city was using the “referendum money” to run and repair all six centers. The city set aside 3.8 cents of the real estate tax rate to run, repair and pay off the debt for the four centers. The next year, they instead approved a much broader, $32.85 million project to build three centers – Great Neck, Princess Anne and Bayside – and renovate Bow Creek, a one-time golf course clubhouse. E-Pilot Evening Edition Home Page Close MenuĬity leaders wanted to build a recreation center in Great Neck, but voters refused.
0 kommentar(er)
