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High Desert Christian Academy asks Prineville for multi-year support to develop community "hub" at former hospital
Summary
High Desert Christian Academy presented a plan to redevelop the former hospital site into a multiuse community hub emphasizing expanded childcare, K–12 options, recreation space and prevention services, and requested city partnership and funding commitments during next year’s budget cycle.
High Desert Christian Academy representatives asked the Prineville City Council on May 13 to partner on a proposed community "hub" at the former hospital on Elm Street and to consider funding in next fiscal year’s budget process.
The academy’s independent contractor and community-relations director, Mandy Puckett, told the council the hub would combine childcare and early education expansion, K–12 dual-enrollment options, adult education, parks and recreation facilities, transportation and prevention services. Duane Porter, vice president of the academy’s board, said the property owner supports the school’s vision and the group has a lease‑purchase option while pursuing Business Oregon childcare infrastructure grants.
The request outlined several specific funding asks and conditions. The hub team requested: $100,000 per year for five years to support childcare expansion and operations; a two‑year lease commitment for roughly 15,135 square feet at $10,000 per month to house parks and recreation programming and training spaces; a lease for a parking area at $4,200 per month (July 2025–June 2026) with a purchase option of $165,000 in July 2026 for roughly 13,000 square feet; and $110,707 to complete a full building assessment and facility planning. The group said securing one or more Business Oregon Child Care Infrastructure (CCIF) grants (each described as $2,000,000 awards discussed in the presentation) would be central to acquiring and renovating the property; the applicant told council it is currently licensed for 80 childcare slots and proposed serving more than 200 children if funding allows.
Sage Architecture principals Seth Anderson and project manager Lindsay McGuire presented a Step 1 facility and code analysis. They reported preliminary findings that the proposed uses are generally supportable under current code but that changes of use and upgrades to egress, accessibility and plumbing will be required to reach occupancy. Sage described a proposed configuration with community rooms and training spaces on the ground floor, and recreation/storage space in the basement, and identified the need for detailed tenant improvements and a full building assessment to determine renovation costs.
Steve Waring, executive director of the Cook County Parks and Recreation District, said the district supports the hub concept but is not able to assume a long‑term lease or absorb significant lease costs over the next two years; his participation is conditional on move‑in ready space and a lease structure that does not force the district to take on full lease costs while programs ramp up. Puckett and Porter said grant funders have repeatedly asked about demonstrated city and county commitment "skin in the game," and that funders are seeking letters of support and local matching contributions.
Council members and staff did not take formal funding action at the meeting. Council members said the request is substantial relative to the city’s current fiscal year ending June 30 and directed city staff to include the proposal in budget discussions and to provide the council options and additional information later this summer. City staff noted the budget closeout and scheduling timelines and said the council will have more complete fiscal numbers by late summer (staff indicated an expected window of August–September for firmer budget availability).
The hub representatives emphasized that some grant programs the group is pursuing will not pay for staffing and therefore additional nonprofit or public funding would be needed to operate expanded childcare services. The presenters said the hub has received expressions of support from local civic groups, foundations and businesses and identified several grants and funders they have pursued or received small awards from, including a $5,000 gift from the Ford Family Foundation toward a facility assessment.
Council President Huffleman and city staff reiterated that no funding decision was expected at the meeting and that council action, if any, would be considered in the upcoming budget process.
