Frequently Asked Questions
(Note: Please contact us at the ROC if you have any additional questions, and we will include them, with answers, below. Also, some of the answers below may change as time progresses.)
Question: When will the community centre open?
Answer: Construction completion of the new facility is anticipated for early summer 2010.
Question: What is the schedule for construction?
Answer: See above.
Question: What will be in the community centre?
Answer: The facility components include a full sized gymnasium, multi-purpose programming space, fitness room, arts and cultural displays, meeting rooms and small commercial kitchen area to accommodate a wide range of programs and activities.
Question: What kinds of activities will happen in the community centre?
Answer: The facility will certainly be “A Place for Everyone” – what happens in the community centre will depend on what community members’ desires and needs are. Examples of activities for all ages that will be able to take place in the community centre include:
Many activities which historically had to be found outside the Prospect Road Area will now find a home within the community centre.
Dance programs for pre-school, school age and youth such as ballet, hip hop, tap,
Tumbling tots for preschool,
Indoor soccer for tots, school age, youth,
Basketball for school age, youth, adult
Badminton for school age, youth, adult, seniors
Volleyball for school age, youth adult
Floor hockey, school age, youth adult
Fitness classes, pilates, yoga, school age, youth adult,seniors,
Art classes, oil paint , water colors, tole paint, seniors
Scrapbooking, adult and school age, seniors, youth
Youth drop in program
Preschool programs,
Various craft workshops for all ages
Skipping club, guitar, drawing, cheerleading,
Drama
Martial arts
and lots more
Question: Why is there no pool or rink?
Answer: The 2004 Indoor Recreation Facility Master Plan identified future recreation facility requirements within the HRM. The Master Plan identified 4 categories’ of facilities based on population and drive times. The facility for the Prospect area will be a community/neighbourhood centre, which will serve as a focal point for community events and activities in this area. The location does not meet the criteria (relative to population and drive time) for a pool or a rink.
There is the brand new Canada Games Centre, a $40 million dollar complex being built less than 15 minutes away from us on Lacewood Drive as well as the Wavepool in Spryfield which is also less than 15 minutes from our location.
Question: Can my group/organization rent space in the facility?
Answer: The Community Management Board will be developing leasing rates and schedules. Certainly one of the goals of the centre is to accommodate local community groups.
Question: Who owns the community centre?
Answer: The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) will own the facility.
Question: Who will manage and run the community centre?
Answer: The Resource Opportunities Centre (ROC), a 15 member pre-existing volunteer board, have been selected as the community management board for the facility and are working with the Steering Committee and HRM staff on the operations budget.
Question: How is the community centre being funded?
Answer: Funding for this facility is coming from all three levels of Government, Area Rate, and community fundraising:
- $2.1 million Municipal Rural Infrastructure (MRIF) Program ($1 million Federal, $1 million Province)
- $2 million HRM
- $250,000 Provincial B-FIT Program
- $2.4 million area rate
- community fundraising
Question: How can I contribute to the fundraising?
Answer: We are working on a donation campaign through which individuals can make a financial contribution to the project and be publicly recognized for their contribution. We shall also be launching a corporate partnership package aimed at securing financial contributions from the private sector. We hope to launch these two components later this summer.
Question: When will a manager, and staff, and instructors be hired?
Answer: The plan is to recruit and hire a facility manager in advance of the community centre opening. The present goal would see the position filled by April 1st 2010.
Question: How much will fitness memberships cost?
Answer: Work is progressing well on the business plan and operational budget for the facility; however we have not yet established the cost of fitness memberships.
Question: How can I get involved?
Answer: There are lots of opportunities to help with fundraising events – please contact Rhonda Dea Chair of the fundraising committee rhonda@prospectcommunities.com We will also be looking for help in soliciting corporate donations – please contact Barb Allen at barb@prospectcommunities.com
The ROC, who will be the volunteer management group for the facility, will be holding their AGM on June 24th – plan to attend or contact the ROC Chair, Shelley Thomas at Shelley@prospectcommunities.com
Closer to the date of opening the community centre we will be looking for qualified instructors for programs and workshops. If you are interested in delivering programs in the facility please contact Shelley Thomas Shelley@prospectcommunities.com with your areas of interest.