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Oak Harbor kicks off recreation center feasibility study; consultants promise broad community outreach
Summary
Consultants BerryDunn and BRS Architecture presented a recreation center feasibility study funded by a $200,000 state grant and outlined a community-engagement plan that will use a statistically validated survey plus in-person "pop ups" to reach residents; council members emphasized outreach representativeness, cost control and accessibility.
Oak Harbor city leaders and consultants on March 24 opened the kickoff for a recreation center feasibility study that the city will use to determine whether, and how, to proceed with an indoor recreation facility. Maggie Aguilar, the city’s communications officer, introduced a consulting team led by BerryDunn and supported by BRS Architecture. Rich Newman of BerryDunn said the firm will combine immersion engagement (pop-ups, stakeholder meetings and business outreach) with a statistically weighted survey to produce defensible, representative results.
Newman said the study is funded in part by a $200,000 state appropriation and that the project team aims to complete the feasibility work by December. "What are your hopes and dreams for indoor recreation in Oak Harbor?" Newman asked the council, framing the public outreach as the next step.
Council members broadly supported the public-engagement approach but urged the consultants to ensure the survey and in-person outreach reach hard-to-contact populations — including transient military families, retirees, teens and residents who do not typically attend meetings. Council Member Stuckey and others said past outreach efforts produced small sample sizes (the arts plan had roughly 130 responses), and they stressed the need to boost participation. "We've made plenty of outreach in other instances. It's getting people to show up to the table," Mayor Wright said.
Members also flagged fiscal risks and project scope concerns: Councilman Romero warned about change orders and cost increases, urging a design and procurement process that avoids scope creep. Council member Marrow and others emphasized durability and maintenance planning so the facility remains sustainable. Several council members said they favor convertible, multiuse spaces to maximize utility for different sports and community programs while limiting upfront costs.
Consultants described a phased process: discovery, public engagement, visioning and a final report with implementation recommendations. They said community engagement will include targeted outreach to schools, naval base stakeholders and local businesses and will document ‘‘touch points’’ (invitations, open rates and face-to-face conversations) so the city can verify who was reached.
The workshop did not include a decision to fund construction: the city is conducting a feasibility study to weigh costs, demand and funding options. Council members asked staff to prioritize broad outreach and clear cost estimates as the consultants move into the public-engagement phase.
