Local Group Works on Bringing Community Center to Lowell Area

Last fall, a group, currently under the umbrella of Construct Area Lowell Youth (CLAY), began meeting to discuss opening a community center in Lowell.  Offerings at the center could include a pool, rooms available for rent, a gymnasium, indoor track, childcare, outdoor trails, and more.  The group is looking to secure $20,000 to be used for two studies which need to be done to move the project forward. Any additional monies raised would be used for marketing and other administrative tasks.  

Fall Meetings Turn into Spring Action

It can be daunting taking on a vision for a community center with the knowledge that at least six previous attempts have failed.  What should it offer? Where should it be located? What will make it successful? How much will it cost? How will funding be attained?

A group, led by Robert Rogers of CLAY, has been meeting since September 2018.  The first meeting was informational, seeking the community’s ideas and volunteers to get the project underway.  Initially the group gathered once a month but starting this spring, meetings have taken place twice each month and sometimes weekly.  Rogers is hoping a community center will become an area where local needs are not being met. “Several needs in Lowell are being met, like outdoor entertainment, sports and recreation (for the most part)” he says.  “But there are some blatant needs that have not been addressed like indoor recreation during the 10 months of cold weather we have [said with a smirk], aquatic activities and venues for rent for events such as class reunions, proms, and wedding receptions, just to name a few.”

Typically 5-10 people have attended each meeting after the initial kickoff.  Past community surveys and information about unsuccessful endeavors have been made available and have been reviewed and discussed.  Guest speakers on topics including what is needed to get started, fundraising, and past attempts have also shared information to help the group plan an overall process.  Members of the group have also visited established facilities in Charlotte, Byron Center, and Spring Lake to gather information and ideas.  

Stacey Prater moved to Lowell three years ago with her family which includes three children.  She became involved in the group after the initial meeting. Her interest was piqued after hearing a pool could be part of local community center having experience at other facilities lifeguarding, teaching swim lessons and participating on swim teams.  “My passion is mainly behind getting a swimming pool here in Lowell that can support the swim team and community recreation.” she says. “I grew up around pools and want my 3 young boys to have those same opportunities.” Her knowledge in this area has been helpful in early stages of what kind of pool options are available, typical size of pools in facilities, and what would be needed to support sustainability.  

It is now time for the group to take action in order to continue to move forward.  This action comes in the form of two studies. The price tag on them is estimated to be $20,000.  While the group has been sharing information about their plight on Facebook, it’s time for more awareness and financial help for a needs assessment and feasibility study.  

Study Says!

The Lowell Area Community Center Committee, what they’re calling themselves at this point, is looking to work with Williams & Works to gather and present results for two studies.  The two can be completed back to back or parallel with one starting slightly before the other. Each is estimated to cost $10,000.

A needs assessment will look at the Lowell community and determine what the community would like to see in such a center.  Past surveys have continuously shown that a pool is a desired amenity for the area but it comes at a high cost to build and maintain, which is why the pool located at Recreation Park decades ago did not last.  A needs assessment will identify priorities which will help determine what is included in a first phase and where future growth may be needed.

A feasibility study will help determine if it’s possible to create a community center with a focus on community needs.  This document will look at what a center might offer and compare it to what is already available in the Lowell community and neighboring areas, taking into account the current community population and potential for growth.  For example, if those in the community feel there is a need for rental rooms for gatherings but similar rooms already exist in the community or nearby, it may not be feasible to include in a final concept. If the needs assessment indicates that a complex which would take hundreds of acres to build but that kind of land is not available, a larger center may not be attainable.  And back to that pool – if the community feels it is needed but not willing to pay to use it or don’t mind traveling to another option, it won’t be considered feasible.  

Once started, these studies typically take a couple of months until they are complete.  The goal of the group is to have them in process by sometime in the fall so that early next year the next phase of the project can begin.  

Taking Steps Toward Fruition

When seeking funding from organizations providing grants, such as the Lowell Area Community Foundation, they look for these studies as a way of ensuring a group seeking funds has a viable project.  They look to see there is community support through letters and financial donations. 

While a small group has done much of the legwork in getting to the point of needing financial support, there is still much more to be done.  The first step may seem minor in the overall picture, but two studies are needed in order to move forward with bringing a community center to the Lowell area.  Information about what the group has worked on so far, what they are currently seeking, and what will be needed in the future will be shared throughout the community.  Businesses, organizations, and individuals are encouraged to submit letters of support for a community center. Donations are also being accepted to finance the needed surveys and help with administrative costs involved with keeping the community informed.  

Future Steps

The first phase of the project is raising funds for the two studies and reviewing the results of each.  The assumption is that some sort of center is needed and will be feasible. Following this important first step, a focused search for land and a fundraising campaign will begin.  

CLAY began by spearheading the effort and facilitating meetings, however it is anticipated after the results from the studies are in that the group will branch off and create their own non-profit organization.  This will further establish them as an entity looking to make the project a reality and provide an easier way to fundraise and seek grants for a specific mission. CLAY has a need for space to help provide services and activities for their efforts and will therefore have a continued interest in the completion of a community center.  

It’s also unknown at this time whether a center would be built all at once or in stages.  Much of that will depend on needs, feasibility, and funding in addition to the location of a future facility.  The consensus of the group so far is to be able to build something with future growth in mind.  

Lend a Helping Hand

Anyone interested in helping with the effort to plan, promote, and reach the goal of opening a community center are encouraged to contact the group via email at [email protected] or through their Facebook page.  The group has documentation on their current phase, contact information, and sample support letters

Those who wish to provide financial support, which is tax-deductible, can write a check to Construct Lowell Area Youth and mail it to PO Box 65 or via electronic donation via CLAY’s PayPal account.  Both of these options should include a note that money is to go toward efforts supporting the Lowell community center.  

Letters of support can be mailed to the PO Box or email address above.  Anyone wishing to speak directly to someone involved with the group to obtain more information can send an email

The group continues to be proactive, looking at possibilities for the location of the center, remaining cognizant of future fundraising needs, and looking for partnerships and volunteers.  The needs assessment and feasibility study will help guide the future of a community center in the area, but nothing firm has been established. Meetings will be Tuesdays as needed from 6pm-8pm through August.  Reach out to the group if you’re interested in when meetings will be held in the fall. Others are invited to join the conversation and help make a community center a reality whether it’s through a donation of time or money, regardless of the amount available to give.   

Editors note: The author of this article is part of the Lowell Community Center Committee.

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