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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-09-2015 - 3ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WORKSESSION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: April 9, 2015 11 Action Agenda Item No. 3 SUBJECT: Community Centers — Mission Statement and Level of Service DEPARTMENT: DEAPR PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No ATTACHMENT(S): Attachment A. Overview of Community Centers Attachment B. Guiding Principles and Purposes Attachment C. Possible Level of Service Options INFORMATION CONTACT: David Stancil, 919 - 245 -2522 Chris Sousa, 919 - 245 -2660 PURPOSE: To consider information and provide direction to staff on goals /objectives and potential levels of service for existing and new community centers. BACKGROUND: Orange County built and began operating its first community center, the 2600 - square foot Efland- Cheeks Community Center (located at Efland- Cheeks Park), in 1992. Until late last year, this was the only community center owned and operated by the County. The level of activity at the Efland- Cheeks Center has decreased over the last decade, as grants funding different community activities ended and programs were consolidated into new centers in Hillsborough for financial or economies of scale reasons. Over the past year or so, residents and representatives of community organizations in the Efland- Cheeks area met with staff from the Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation and other County departments about increasing access and program offerings at the community center. In response, some limited hours of operation (two days per week) have been restored, a few recreation programs added, and after - school homework help is now provided at the center on weekday afternoons. Otherwise, the Center is available for rental - pending future decisions about hours of operation and programs. In late 2014, the County opened a second community center on leased property in the Rogers Road community north of Chapel Hill. The Rogers Road Community Center is 4,000 square feet in size, with an office, kitchen and meeting room(s).The Center is managed under a contractual Operations Agreement with the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA). Under this agreement, RENA agrees to operate the center six days a week from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. The County is responsible for building maintenance and repair, grounds maintenance, utilities and insurance under the agreement. Finally, over the past three years residents of the Cedar Grove community have worked with staff and a professional design firm to develop a plan for the old Cedar Grove School (African- 12 American school) on NC 86 north of Hillsborough. Once used as the "Northern Human Services Center," the Cedar Grove facility no longer housed County functions by 2012 and a long -term plan for the 55 -year old structure was needed. The completion of a series of community meetings led to a plan to keep and renovate /reconstruct the central portion of the structure, while retaining and "mothballing" the two wings of the building. Subsequent design work with a group of community residents and the project designer and staff resulted in a plan for the Cedar Grove Community Center. This Center, which is now under construction, includes 10,000 square feet with a gymnasium /auditorium, large meeting room, internet cafe, multimedia room and other planned amenities. The Center is planned to be open in March 2016. As noted in the Issues for Further Study section of the new Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030, the pending completion of the Cedar Grove Community Center, along with community concerns and desires for more hours of operation at Efland Cheeks Community Center, offers a timely opportunity for consideration of a desired purpose and goal for County community centers, as well as an appropriate level of service going forward. While the Rogers Road Community Center has a unique set of circumstances that led to its creation, and to the license use arrangement with a community non - profit (with a history of offering services of the type found at a community center), the Efland- Cheeks Community Center is distinctly different in manner of creation and historical usage patterns. Decisions on upgrades to the Efland- Cheeks Center will need to be made in future Capital Investment Plans (CIP), as needed improvements at this center are evaluated and /or funded. Likewise, the new Cedar Grove Community Center is unique and different in its own right and is in need of a long -term plan. In some ways, this new Center will "raise the bar" in terms of center facilities and amenities. The Cedar Grove Center is over twice the size of the other two centers, and contains features (such as a gymnasium) that do not exist at the other centers. In some respects, the Cedar Grove Center is more like Central Recreation Center in Hillsborough than its sister community centers. All of the above factors — along with the important question of community involvement and participation in operation and programming - make discussion and consideration of a comprehensive approach for community centers a timely and desirable outcome. This guidance for the future will enable the different communities served by the centers to have a basic level of expectation of what the centers may offer, with additional opportunities at each location based on community need and available facilities. As noted above, developing this type of plan was identified as an important "Issue for Further Study" in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2030 (adopted November 2014). To begin this comprehensive assessment, it may be useful to start with a discussion of two primary topics- 1 . 2. What goals and objectives should a community center have in terms of its mission and purpose? Stated differently, what should a community center be? What are the basic tenets or purposes for community centers? What types of services should be expected? What is a reasonable and appropriate level(s) of service for community centers in Orange County? 13 To help with this discussion, staff has developed three documents. Attachment A is an overview of the three community centers, with floor plans, photos and other information. Attachment B provides a possible mission statement for community centers, with objectives or principles. These were developed using ideas and principles gathered from other community centers and jurisdictions as a basis for community centers (including principles identified by the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association for the Rogers Road Center.) Attachment C includes the Parks and Recreation Council's thoughts on community centers, from their March 4 discussion, and describes staff's thoughts on three possible "levels of service" for community centers, including methods of community involvement in center operation and programming and a table showing how each meets the basic mission statement objectives in Attachment B. Staff proposes to take Board feedback and direction from this discussion and prepare a draft Community Center Mission Statement and Level of Service Plan, which could help guide future decisions about center resource allocation, community involvement, expenses and revenues, and operation and maintenance. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this work session discussion. Direction and feedback provided by the board would be used by staff to develop a plan for community center level of service, which would have implications for future operating and capital budgets in the coming years. Decisions about the initial four months of service for the Cedar Grove Community Center (March -June 2016) and the full year at Efland- Cheeks Community Center level of operation will be addressed in the upcoming FY 2015 -16 budget. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board receive the information from staff and discuss the questions about the nature of community centers, mission statement, and possible levels of service, providing feedback and direction to staff. The Manager and staff will then work to develop a Community Center Mission Statement and Level of Service Plan for a subsequent Board meeting. Attachment A 14 Orange County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan CHAPTER 3 - Parks and Recreation Inventory /Assessment/ Recreation Facility Efland Cheeks Community Center -117 Richmond Rd., Efland Size: Total Facility: 2,600 sq. ft. Multi- Purpose Room: 1,200 sq. ft. Game Room: 160 sq. ft. Kitchen: 100 sq. ft. Offices: 180 sq. ft. Computer Lab: 130 sq. ft. The Efland Cheeks Community Center was constructed and opened in 1992, before much of the park around it was completed. The Center housed a senior nutrition and activity site, community based grant offices as well as recreation programs and events for many years. Once the new Central Orange Senior Center was completed in Hillsborough, senior nutrition and programming was all centralized at that location. In 2013, renovations and reorganization occurred, which are providing the opportunity for revitalization of the center. Beginning in the fall of 2013, drop in use was scheduled at no cost for Orange County residents throughout the week. Computers are set up with internet access, games and activities are available for children, adults and seniors. Future Rogers Rd. Community Center — Purefoy Dr., Chapel Hill In 2012 a multi- jurisdictional task force was formed and asked to investigate a contractual agreement with Habitat for Humanity to construct a Rogers Road Neighborhood Community Center that would serve the residents of the Rogers Road Neighborhood. The center would be owned by Habitat and leased to Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) for $1 per year. The property selected for the center is located on Purefoy Dr. and owned by Orange County. Chapel Hill and Carrboro are also involved as partners in the project. In 2013 a contractual agreement was reached which pro- vided for operation and use of the new center by RENA. Plans and construction drawings are currently under devel- opment for the center. The planned center includes classrooms, multi- purpose rooms, a library /computer room, a food bank, and full kitchen as well as office and storage space. Construction is expected to begin in 2014. (4, 000 sf) 3 -16 R1114411111 MW 4q _ L 1. X Rogers Road Com- munity Center parcels (.54 acres) J� :f L Size: Total Facility: 2,600 sq. ft. Multi- Purpose Room: 1,200 sq. ft. Game Room: 160 sq. ft. Kitchen: 100 sq. ft. Offices: 180 sq. ft. Computer Lab: 130 sq. ft. The Efland Cheeks Community Center was constructed and opened in 1992, before much of the park around it was completed. The Center housed a senior nutrition and activity site, community based grant offices as well as recreation programs and events for many years. Once the new Central Orange Senior Center was completed in Hillsborough, senior nutrition and programming was all centralized at that location. In 2013, renovations and reorganization occurred, which are providing the opportunity for revitalization of the center. Beginning in the fall of 2013, drop in use was scheduled at no cost for Orange County residents throughout the week. Computers are set up with internet access, games and activities are available for children, adults and seniors. Future Rogers Rd. Community Center — Purefoy Dr., Chapel Hill In 2012 a multi- jurisdictional task force was formed and asked to investigate a contractual agreement with Habitat for Humanity to construct a Rogers Road Neighborhood Community Center that would serve the residents of the Rogers Road Neighborhood. The center would be owned by Habitat and leased to Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) for $1 per year. The property selected for the center is located on Purefoy Dr. and owned by Orange County. Chapel Hill and Carrboro are also involved as partners in the project. In 2013 a contractual agreement was reached which pro- vided for operation and use of the new center by RENA. Plans and construction drawings are currently under devel- opment for the center. The planned center includes classrooms, multi- purpose rooms, a library /computer room, a food bank, and full kitchen as well as office and storage space. Construction is expected to begin in 2014. (4, 000 sf) 3 -16 R1114411111 MW 4q _ L 1. X Rogers Road Com- munity Center parcels (.54 acres) 15 Orange County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan CHAPTER 3 - Parks and Recreation Inventory /Assessment/ Recreation Facility 3 Cedar Grove Community Center (currently under development)- 5800 NC 86N, Cedar Grove (Former Cedar Grove School) 90 Occu 1,349 Recreation Room 51 Occup 751 SF Toilet Stor 73 SF Toile p' Kitchen 371 SF Lobby Small Group/ Quiet Rm 35 Occupants 517 SF Proposed Floor Plan Stor r' Parks & Rec 145 SIF Ofc & Storagt I 235 SF Stor 145 SF Internet Cafe 48 Occupants 707 SF Room ants iF Conf Rm 21 Occup 304 SF Size: Existing School: 32,000 sq. ft.* Proposed Community Center: approx. 10,000 sq. ft. * It Includes: Multi- Purpose Room/ Small Gym: 3,364 sq. ft. Meeting Rooms: 4,724 sq. ft. Kitchen: 371 sq. ft. Offices: 392 sq. ft. * Approx. 22,000 sq. ft. of existing facility is planned to be minimally renovated to preserve the facility for future use /renovation. In 2013 the Northern Human Services Center - Community Center Work Group, consisting of citizens who vol- unteered, were charged by the County Commissioners to work with staff and consulting architects to provide recommendations on renovation and reuse of the former center that would best serve the residents of Orange County. The Board asked that the recommendations include, but not be limited to: • Recognition of the rich cultural and historical significance of the former Cedar Grove School; • The content of past public input for the facility, and public comment during the Work Group's duration; • The previous Board of County Commissioner decisions regarding the deconstruction of the classroom wings and the adaptive re -use renovation to yield an estimated 10,000 square foot community center facility on the site within a Capital Investment Plan project budget of $2,250,000; • Physical and operational limitations to the site and the property, to include but not be limited to sanitary sewer constraints that govern the intensity of use for the facility in a manner consistent with a community center use. Planning is underway and construction is expected to begin in 2014 with the center opening in 2015. 3 -15 M Attachment B ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY CENTERS Mission Statement To foster inclusive community participation by providing an environmentally -sound facility for community - gathering and celebration, recreation, arts, education and learning, and human services, in order to enhance personal growth, public health and community building. The True "Foundation" of a Community Center • Recreation and Healthy Lifestyles: Provide opportunities for personal and group recreation and team - building through athletics and exercise, promoting healthy lifestyles at personal and community level. • Partnership: Work with local nonprofits, organizations and schools to provide opportunities for community building, community service and education. • Human Service: To enhance the quality of life for County residents by providing programs, a safe haven, and emergency shelter; and by promoting a safe and sanitary community environment for all ages and cultures. • Cultural Service: Promote community enrichment through intercultural events, music, theater, dance, literary, media and visual arts. • Foster Community: Through hosting holiday meals, community meetings, family gatherings, individual recognition and memorials. • Environmental Responsibility: Strive to lead by example by implementing programs and practices that reduce, reuse, recycle and renew. • Sustainability: Use our mission statement and goals to achieve our financial needs and future aims. Provide care, restoration and improvement of the facilities. Increase volunteer engagement and support staff development, and energize community participation. Obiectives • Promote community involvement and actively seek input in the planning, operation and participation of the Cedar Grove and Efland Cheeks Community Centers. • Effectively coordinate leisure services with other County Departments, organizations, schools, and community partners to improve the overall service to the citizens in proximity to the community centers. 17 Attachment B • Develop a Community Center CCVP (Community Center Volunteer Program) and an informal Community Center Board of Advisors that will increase public awareness of community centers, programs and events, and County services; and assist County departments in strengthening services delivery by using community volunteers to complement staff. • Offer comprehensive, quality recreational and educational programming aimed at satisfying the needs of varying age levels, physical abilities, and special interests. Provide meaningful programs and diverse, open access to all individuals. • Provide children and seniors with a safe place to socialize and learn, open to all individuals. • Provide efficient and effective leadership and coordination for delivery of quality services for the community. • Provide an after - school haven and tutoring opportunities for children, and a place to base community events. • Make technology available to the community for youth and adults, with hosting educational classes. • Offer programs from Habitat for Humanity and other organizations and departments on home ownership, budgeting and financial literacy. • Engage and encourage the residents in communities around the Centers to become part of the community through focus groups, outreach programs, volunteerism and social interaction. Collaborate between County, residents and other programs to help educate residents and keep them informed of issues that affect them. 18 Attachment C Level of Service Options — Orange County Community Centers Parks and Recreation Council Discussion — 3/4/15 Purpose of Community Centers: • Provide a location and structure for offering recreation /athletics and human services programs for a community /defined area; • Provide a location for community events and activities to occur; • Offer meeting rooms and other facilities (catering kitchen, etc.) for reservation by community residents for family events and activities; • Offer a `safe haven' for community children after school for homework, etc. • Balance of open access and programmed activity. Thoughts on Level of Service Standard (Cedar Grove Community Center; Efland Cheeks Community Center): • Need to understand community's needs. For some it may just be a facility that is open for access and informal activity. Others may wish for structured events, programs. How to find balance. • Community meeting to rank different types of (and mix of) activities (including just open access). • Define service levels based on what community appears to represent as need. Adjust overtime if actual results differ. • Ideally, a community center should be open from 8:00 am — 8:00 pm, five to six days a week. Start with a seasonal staff presence during open hours to facilitate community use (lock /unlock rooms, provide equipment, explain usage rules, monitor activity). • Supplement with volunteers from community, allow volunteers to help "cover" some of the center's hours? • Open the center based on what appears to be community demand. Purchase counters to accurately measure the number of users. See how actual results measure up to projected community demand, adjust hours and level of equipment and amenities accordingly over time. 19 Attachment C Possible Level of Service Options The chart below provides three options for operating County Community Centers (Full Access, Partial Access, and Permitted Use Only), and describes some of the measureable variables under each option.' Options A B C Fult Access Partial Access Permitted Use Only Hours of Operation Open 5 -7 days per week. Open 2 -4 days per week. Open during reserved Approximately 8 -12 hours Approximately 4 -8 hours scheduled usage only per day per day (approximately 10 -15 hours per week). Community Access High (100+ Service Medium (50 -100 Service Limited (based on paid Contacts weekly) Contacts weekly) usage) Program Opportunities 5 -7 Programs weekly 1 -3 Programs weekly None (Internal & External) Supervision FTE staff (1 or more), with Minimal FTE Staff, with a Seasonal part -time staff a less Seasonal Part -time high seasonal part -time only when facility is open presence presence for scheduled usage Annual Estimated Operating Cost (both centers combined): Including staffing, $125,000- 150,000 $75,000 — 95,000 $10,000- 15,000 program implementation, maintenance, utilities, and support ' There are many possible variations on the assumptions made herein to define the three levels of service. Other levels of service may exist along the spectrum from Option A to Option C. Operating costs are based on staff estimates and information gathered from other jurisdictions that operate community centers. 20 Attachment C Comparison to Objectives and Responsibilities Below is a list cif objectives /responsibilities for operating a community center. Using the options discussed above, this chart measures these objectives based on the scale of: Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor for the level of expected attainability with rti each objective /responsibili,ty, Objectives Full Access Partial Permit Use Only Access Provides community with County support of services and Good Fair Fair /Poor equipment Managing Risk and liability Good Good Fair Provides Revenues to offset costs Fair Good Excellent Offering affordable programs and services Excellent Fair Poor Ensuring Diversity of participation Excellent Good Poor Improving Quality of Life for residents in community Excellent Good Fair Community collaboration and partnership opportunities Excellent Excellent Poor Offer comprehensive, quality recreation and education programming aimed at satisfying needs of varying age levels, Excellent Fair Poor physical abilities, and special interests. Engage and encourage residents in the community to become part of the community through focus groups, outreach programs, Excellent Fair Poor volunteerism and social interaction. Effectively coordinate leisure services with other County departments, organizations, schools, and other community Good Good Poor partners to improve the overall service to the citizens in proximity to the Centers. Implement awareness programs, deliver counseling and educational lectures, and provide various courses for those Good Good Poor benefiting from the various services of the community centers