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Town hears feasibility findings for proposed multigenerational community center
Summary
Consultants presented survey results and design options that show strong community interest in a multigenerational community center; staff will return in Q1 2025 with costed design scenarios including options with and without aquatics.
Consultants presented results of a year-long needs assessment and feasibility study for a proposed multigenerational community center during the Indian Trail Town Council workshop on Dec. 10.
The study lead, Nilay Bhatt of Next Practice Partners, told council members and staff the process relied on outreach that included an intercept exercise, stakeholder interviews, a community open house and a statistically reliable ETC Institute survey that produced roughly 350+ scientifically sampled responses plus another 1,100+ online responses. “The goal for your population to have a sample that's statistically reliable is 350,” Bhatt said, noting the town exceeded that minimum and that the survey’s margin of error is approximately ±5%.
The consultants said the highest community priorities were an indoor walking and jogging track, lap lanes for swimming, aerobic/fitness/gymnastics spaces and a weight/cardiovascular area. “The indoor running walking track is by far the number one,” Bhatt summarized. He added that, across survey respondents, about 73% said they would use the center a few times a month or more, and roughly three-quarters of respondents said they would support paying a membership fee if the amenities match their expectations.
Why it matters: Council adopted a master plan update in recent years that carried a “big move” to study a community center; the feasibility work now supplies the program and market data the town needs to choose a building footprint, estimate costs and test operating models. The consultants said program-driven facility design tends to produce better outcomes than building a shell and then finding programs to fit it.
Details and next steps: The consultants showed community-sourced images and illustrations of amenities—indoor playground, multipurpose/activity rooms, performing arts spaces and fitness areas—and stressed program-to-facility alignment. Bhatt recommended the council weigh cost and operational implications, particularly whether to include aquatics: “A wet square foot is more expensive than a dry square foot. And once you go down the path, your operating cost for something that includes a pool is a lot more than that that does not.”
During discussion, council members and residents raised site, scale and financing questions. Several council members said the town should avoid duplicating private-sector services nearby, and others urged flexibility and phased construction (build up before building out). Councilmember comments also emphasized walkable access—residents said distances matter when deciding whether they’ll use a facility—and the need for sufficient storage to support multipurpose use. Councilmember Tom noted that performance/theater space ranked lower in the statistically reliable survey than it did in the public open house, a reminder that single outreach events can skew priorities.
Financing options discussed included general obligation (GO) debt, installment financing, USDA loans with long amortizations and private fundraising or naming-rights partnerships. Town finance staff told council the town’s AAA rating and fiscal position could support borrowing and that investigative polling would be advisable before any bond referendum. Consultant Nilay Bhatt said the team will prepare multiple scenarios—typically one with aquatics and one without—showing footprints, order-of-magnitude costs and operating pro forma so the council can make an informed choice.
The consultants proposed a planning timeline that would deliver design options and pro formas in Q1 2025, with additional community engagement and potential polling to follow if council directs. Bhatt recommended site visits to comparable centers and exploring partnerships with healthcare or education partners to offset operating subsidy.
A council member who represents the western part of the county said he favored starting with a smaller core that could be expanded later, echoing multiple commenters who urged phased design. Several attendees also suggested the council pursue private fundraising—one speaker suggested pursuing naming rights or a $1 million private campaign for initial capital.
The town’s parks and recreation staff and the consultants said they would return in the new year with options, estimated construction costs, operating models and recommended next steps for community outreach and possible public financing.
