Participants flag $6 million athletic-club sale as a potential opportunity — but warn of costs and trade-offs

One participant raised that the local athletic club is for sale at approximately $6,000,000 and that converting it to a city-owned recreation center would require additional investment. "It's $6,000,000. It's probably a couple more million to fix it up to make it a city owned recreation center," the participant said, warning that purchase would be "very expensive".

Other attendees stressed that the city could consider bonding or other funding mechanisms but flagged political trade-offs and community expectations: if the city did not buy a facility that later became housing, residents would ask why the city didn't act. Staff recalled prior council debate when the city considered buying the same property years earlier and ultimately voted not to proceed. Participants suggested exploring private acquisition or bonding only after clear analysis and resident communications.