Wellness center receives final approval
The Choice Wellness Center is officially a go. The final required step was taken by the Grand Forks Park Board when it approved a $23 million bond issue.By: Ryan Bakken, Grand Forks Herald
- Choice Wellness Center artist rendering
More...
The Choice Wellness Center is officially a go.
The final required step was taken by the Grand Forks Park Board when it approved a $23 million bond issue.
The amount was $1 million less than the original amount. It was shrunk by board action because the interest rate — 4.2 percent — was higher than anticipated.
However, commissioners and staff members say, nothing in the multi-faceted facility needs to be dropped.
Instead, equipment such as treadmills was dropped from the capital project. It will instead be paid for by a separate fundraising campaign.
“All of the equipment such as cardio will be leased and rotated out every five years,” said Center Court Fitness Manager Cam Tweten. “It never should have been a capital expense.”
Tweten said he already has one person willing to make a sizable donation for the equipment.
Jay Panzer, one of the commissioners who suggested dropping the bond amount rather than speculate that more money would become available, was pleased with the compromise.
“We still have to raise money,” Panzer said. “But we wanted to make sure that we started with our head above water. You can’t start with a deficit.”
The move allows the continuance of the budget plan, which calls for no more than 25 percent of income can be used to pay off the project during the first 10 years and no more than 50 percent for the next 15 years.
Reach Bakken at (701) 780-1125; (800) 477-6572, ext. 125; or send e-mail to rbakken@gfherald.com.
Tags: daily updates, wellness center, grand fork park board, gf and egf, recreation, fitness, health, news
More from around the web
RSS Feeds