The Park District has released what I’ll call ‘ballpark’ membership ranges for the proposed Minot Aquatics and Recreation Center. Here they are:
Single Memberships: $35-55 per month
Family Memberships: $60-75 per month
Daily Fee Visits: $5 – 7.50
The full news release below contains more details on how these figures were arrived at as well as this important nugget at the end.
There will also be areas open to the public at no charge year-round. Those areas include the senior lounge, the indoor/outdoor park and playground, the 400 meter track, and the indoor turf area when it is not being programmed for athletic uses.
— Official News Release, Minot Park District —
The Minot Park Board appreciates all the interest and comments shared during the public forum held last Wednesday for citizens to learn more about the proposed Aquatics and Recreation Center (MARC) facility.
Professional planner and consultant Donna F. Jarmusz with IBIS Enterprises was in attendance to review the feasibility study and business plan created for the MARC. Hervey Lavoie, President of Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative and Brian Beckler, Senior Principal with OLC, also were in attendance to present the construction costs estimated for the proposed facility.
One question asked by some people in attendance was regarding the cost of memberships for the proposed facility. During the forum park district representatives Connie Feist and Ron Merritt explained that exact membership rates will not be set for the facility at this time but that the business plan forecasts $1.1 million in membership income for the first year of operations.
In response to interest that further decisions be made regarding membership rates at the MARC prior to public voting on the measure, the Minot Park Board has determined a minimum to maximum range of rates for usage of the facility. The range for a single membership at the MARC will be set at $35-55 per month and the range for a family membership will be from $60-$75 per month. Daily pass fees for the facility will range from $5 to $7.50 per day depending on volume of usage.
The Park District’s plan is to implement an early registration period for the public during the six months prior to opening of the MARC; during which time the lowest membership rates of the established range will be offered to those who pre-register. Based on the number of memberships sold during that early registration period, membership rates upon the opening of the MARC will fall within the range in order to meet the forecasted income of 1.1 million. The more memberships that are sold for the MARC, the more the Park District will be able to keep membership rates as low as possible for all.
By comparing calculations showing that 2,620 members at $35/month will yield the 1.1 million in membership revenue budgeted for the MARC with the experience of Williston’s facility having over 7,500 members within the first year of opening, Minot Park Board members expect that they will be able to offer memberships at the lowest end of the set ranges.
There will also be areas open to the public at no charge year-round. Those areas include the senior lounge, the indoor/outdoor park and playground, the 400 meter track, and the indoor turf area when it is not being programmed for athletic uses.
