SEQUIM — The Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center and Olympic Medical Center are in preliminary talks on building a new facility devoted to sports medicine.
But such a partnership will only be possible after the recreation center at 610 N. Fifth Ave., which includes the city’s only public pool and is better known by the acronym SARC, solves its current financial problems.
The 27-year-old SARC expects to run out of funding by December 2016, and reserves are expected to fall below $350,000 by the end of this year.
“We are in brainstorming mode right now, so few decisions have been made other than to start a planning process,” said Eric Lewis, Olympic Medical Center CEO.
“No decision will be made on this partnership by either party until SARC’s financial situation is resolved.
“Currently, we do not have an estimated timeline . . . for a decision and will be planning for the remainder of 2015.”
Few details
Details on how big the added-on sports medicine complex would be, what amenities it would offer and where on the SARC property it could be built have not been hashed out.
“We are still in the feasibility study phase, and no size has been determined,” said Scott Deschenes, SARC executive director.
“Hopefully, it would connect with our weight room expansion, but it is too early in the process to tell.”
The cost of such a facility is presently unknown, although Deschenes said he prefers it be built by a private investor and not with public money.
“SARC could lease land to either OMC or [a] third-party organization that would build the building,” he said.
“The company would lease the land from SARC. This would allow SARC to add the building without any costs to the public.
“I believe this would be in the best option for SARC, but it will be up to the board.”
Physical therapy
The main focus of the facility would likely be physical therapy, but that may change, Lewis said, adding that an undetermined amount of medically trained employees would be needed to staff the building.
“Employees would need to move into the new space if this occurs, but [we] do not know how many staff this would affect at this point.”
OMC is working with SARC on this because “the pool and gym space makes the SARC an attractive partner on wellness and health improvement,” Lewis added.
“Health care reform is moving the focus of health care to wellness, prevention and chronic disease management.
“The SARC is a natural partner for these goals, as we currently do not have a large enough gym and treatment space for the number of patients we have in the Sequim community.”
In the Sequim area, OMC currently offers cancer care, physical therapy, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and a variety of physician specialties, including cardiology, neurology, sleep medicine, orthopedics, gastroenterology, urology and pulmonary medicine.
Health programs
“OMC provides rehabilitation programs, including cardiac and cancer rehabilitation, where participants will hopefully transition into health programs outside of rehab” at the proposed sports medicine facility, Deschenes said.
“There is a trend where more physicians are prescribing exercise as a primary aspect of wellness. SARC has plenty of options for exercise [such as] swimming, cardio machines, weight machines and classes.”
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
