Council authorizes $99,600 contract for community center site and cost analysis

The Cathedral City Council voted July 9 to authorize a professional services agreement with Group 4 Architecture, Research & Planning, Inc., to conduct a site and cost analysis and feasibility study for a proposed community recreation center. Staff recommended Group 4 after a multi‑step RFP and interview process and said the firm has extensive municipal community center experience.

Victor Gomez, administrative analyst, told the council the contract cost is $99,600 to be paid from development impact fees and that the proposed timeline is 150 days (staff said they hope to complete within 120–150 days, targeting December 2025). The scope includes program/amenity analysis (pools, courts), location review (city‑owned vs. acquisition), scalability, new construction versus rehabilitation, transportation and access, partnerships (Boys & Girls Club, Senior Center), and a financial analysis of funding options.

Group 4 representatives (joining by Zoom) described a bilingual outreach plan that will include two rounds of community engagement: online surveys, in‑person pop‑up kiosks, self‑serve kiosks at high‑traffic locations and meetings with stakeholders and the proposed project management team. Staff said Desert Recreation District staff would participate on the project management team to ensure operational continuity with the district that will operate recreation services.

Council members pressed for outreach strategies to reach under‑served populations and for technical comparisons that show lifecycle and system replacement costs when evaluating rehabilitation versus new construction. The council approved the $99,600 agreement unanimously and authorized the city manager to execute the documents.