SEQUIM — Beginning today, several thousand Sequim-area residents will receive survey phone calls to gauge community interest in a proposal by the Olympic Peninsula YMCA to manage the Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center.
The exercise facility at 610 N. Fifth Ave., known as SARC, includes the city’s only public pool.
The phone survey will be conducted through Oct. 24.
Residents who do not receive a phone call during that time frame but would like to provide feedback can do so by visiting http://tinyurl.com/SARC-YMCASurvey.
“As we look to continually deepen our impact, meet the ever-changing needs of our communities and align ourselves with like-minded organizations, gathering the proper data from our target market is essential,” said Kyle Cronk, YMCA CEO.
“This is about volume. We are trying to call a lot of people to get [their] opinions. We want everyone to share whatever they think.”
The callers will “identify themselves from Strategic Research Associates” and will not ask for personally identifiable information, Cronk said.
$36,000 study
The Spokane company is conducting the feasibility study at a cost of about $36,000, Cronk said.
YMCA, SARC, Olympic Medical Center and private donors are funding the survey. The City Council tabled action on a request to contribute until a meeting Monday. The Clallam County commissioners agreed without a vote Tuesday that they would match a city of Sequim contribution up to $6,000.
The hospital is participating because “YMCAs across the country and right here on the Peninsula are recognized leaders in health and well-being,” said Eric Lewis, OMC CEO.
“Collaborating with organizations such as the Y and SARC is a natural fit.”
Following receipt of the market feasibility data collected during surveying, the collaborating organizations will determine if the project is operationally sustainable.
If so, YMCA officials said they will present the SARC board later this year with a proposal for operating the facility.
“We would propose to the SARC board, and then they would determine if they liked the agreement,” Cronk said.
Exploring a partnership
The SARC board and YMCA announced last month they were considering a partnership in which the Y would assume management of the facility.
The SARC board had said the facility would close by September 2016 because of a lack of funds, even with a cutback in hours that began Monday.
SARC was formed as Clallam County Parks and Recreation District 1, a junior taxing district, in 1988. It has not collected taxes since 2003 and has operated on reserves.
Voters rejected a proposed levy in February. In August, they rejected the proposed formation of a metropolitan park district to solely fund SARC.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
