OWATONNA, Minn., May 21, 2024 – At its May 21 meeting, the City Council approved an agreement with ICS consultants to develop a scope of work for two projects: 1) constructing a Community Center in Owatonna 2) updating public safety facilities. The agreement also includes supporting staff in providing community engagement opportunities that will help determine the scope for the Community Center project.
“Owatonna’s need for a community center has been discussed more frequently in recent years,” said Greg Schultz, City Council President. ”Based on feedback from community members, we realize this needs to be a top priority.” City staff will work with ICS to provide opportunities for community members to provide input about potential locations, features and amenities for a new Community Center. This input will help develop a scope of work that will be used to estimate the cost of the project. Then, based on estimates, funding sources will need to be identified. “There are a series of steps needed to provide City Council with the information needed to determine whether constructing a new Community Center is feasible and aligns with our constituents wishes,” Schultz continued.
The next steps in considering the construction of a new community center are anticipated in coming weeks and include conducting a survey to gather community input regarding the services and amenities the Community Center should include and creating a Community Center Task Force comprised of community members to help shape the scope of the project.
Addressing Owatonna’s need for a community center is part of the City’s long-term facilities needs analysis. City Council and staff are taking steps to address and plan near- and long-term infrastructure needs in a way that delivers the highest value for taxpayers. Owatonna’s Long Range Asset Plan is guiding decisions on how to address improvements on current facilities as well as how to plan, grow and invest in Owatonna’s future facilities.
Please visit Owatonna.gov/imagineowatonna for additional information and ongoing updates about the Long Range Asset Plan as it takes shape. For questions that aren’t addressed on the website, please email Communitycenter@owatonna.gov.
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