With the upcoming Minot Aquatics & Recreation Center vote, we’ve heard a lot about the facility that was built and opened last spring in Williston. The Williston Area Recreation Center is being held up as an example of what Minot’s proposed rec center may look like, so it seemed appropriate to give you a tour and tell you about the building.
Bias note: The Minot Voice has previously declared our editorial support for the MARC proposal in Minot. As a result, you may be inclined to view this coverage as advocating. It is not. In its first year of operation, the Williston ARC has proven to be a wildly successful community investment and to characterize it in any other light would be dishonest.
“We have changed Williston forever.” That’s the quote from Williston Parks and Recreation Executive Director Darin Krueger.
The Numbers
The Williston Area Recreation Center just turned one on March 28th. How did it do in its first year? Check the numbers below.
Daily Visits
Goal: 700 per day
Year One Actual: 1195 per day average
Through March 22, the building had more than 422,000 visits.
Memberships
Goal: 4000 Active Memberships
Year On Actual: 7,500 Active Memberships today
2014 Operating Cost & Revenue
Budgeted Expenses: $2,722,944 | Actual Expenses: $2,180,973
Budgeted Revenue: $2,651,620 | Actual Revenue: $2,766,434
Operating costs and revenue are figured for the calendar year 2014. The facility opened March 28, 2014.
The Tour
Apologies for the photography, the lighting, the sound quality, and the editing. We nailed everything else though. 😀 At least it will give you a sense of the building.
The Question & Answer…
Following the tour of the building, Williston Parks Executive Director Darin Krueger sat down with members of the Minot Park Board and others present and answered questions for more than an hour. Included below are some excerpts from that conversation.
On ARC’s impact on building a stronger community…
On the ARC’s impact on changing the complexion of Williston’s population…
On the need to get creative in creating operating revenue…
On Operating the First Nine Months…
On Making North Dakota Winters More Bearable…
The Gallery
Images are courtesy of JLG Architects.
Gallery
