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Community Center committee presents $25 million concept to Janesville council; site and operating costs remain unanswered
Summary
A volunteer committee presented schematic plans for a community center with a library, gym and daycare and said the estimated construction cost is about $25 million; council members pressed for a fixed site, utility capacity checks and concrete operating-revenue estimates before committing support.
Members of Janesville's Community Center committee outlined schematic plans to the City Council that would combine a library, indoor recreation/gym space and childcare under one roof and said the committee has formed a nonprofit to accept donations and pursue grants.
The committee's presenters, Ben Sala and Gina Peterson, said the school district has given a verbal commitment to occupy preschool-through-school-age programming as a tenant and that forming a nonprofit/LLC will make the project eligible for grants that usually require a nonprofit sponsor. Peterson said moving the district's Community Ed preschool and wraparound programs into the proposed facility would immediately fill childcare space and provide an existing operator for part of the building.
Committee members emphasized that securing a specific site is a prerequisite for most grant applications. Ivan, who has been leading land discussions for the committee, described conversations with property owners and said the group is considering an option/right-of-first-refusal structure to lock a parcel while fund-raising continues.
Council members repeatedly stressed uncertainty about long-term operating costs and how revenues might offset management and maintenance. One councilor noted the committee's estimate of roughly $25 million to build the full concept and asked whether the project could be scaled down to be achievable sooner. The committee said the $25 million figure came from initial ISG schematics as a best-case, full-build scenario.
A councilor estimated routine operating and management costs could be on the order of a quarter-million dollars a year and cautioned that capital-improvement needs (for example, major roof work) would fall to the tax base over time. Committee members responded that rental revenue from gym rentals, event rentals and daycare lease income could cover management and some maintenance but that detailed revenue forecasts have not yet been developed.
On site size and acquisition, presenters said potential footprints ranged from roughly five to 20 acres depending on layout, and that an option deposit to secure a right of first refusal would historically run about 5%–10% of the purchase price (committee members said that figure can be negotiated). The committee asked the council for continued collaboration and said it will submit updates through Clinton's administrative report when appropriate.
Councilors advised the committee to put a firm site in place before applying for major grants, to consult the Utility Board about capacity and to develop clearer operating-revenue and cost models before any formal financial commitment by the city. No formal action or funding commitment was taken at the meeting; the council invited the committee to continue regular updates.
