Community Center Task Force

City looking to build new Community Center

The City of Faribault has retained HGA  to begin looking into site selection, facility amenities, concept design, community engagement, market analysis and an operational plan. 

A "Community Center Task Force" has been established to begin meeting with HGA consultants. These meetings are 'public meetings' similar to a Planning Commission or City Council meeting. As the Task Force begins putting together a framework for the proposed Community Center, there will be two Community Engagement Open Houses where the greater community will be invited to provide feedback. 

As of May 5, the following items have been identified to be included within the facility. 

  1. GymnasiumsA silver-colored Community Center building, with numerous panels running vertically along the buildi
  2. Walking track
  3. Indoor aquatics with a lap area
  4. Fitness area
  5. Racquetball courts
  6. Kids’ Play Area
  7. Meeting and Party Rooms
  8. Sauna
  9. Teen Area
  10. Other spaces and outdoor amenities yet to be determined

Meeting documents

Please find below additional information that's been discussed as part of the Task Force meetings. 

May 4, 2023

Future meetings are scheduled as follows. All meetings are held at 6 p.m. in the Buckham West Conference Room (19 Division St. W, Faribault, MN 55021). Documentation for these future meetings will be added as they near. 

May 25, 2023

June 22

July 13

Aug. 3

Potential Funding

The City was initially planning on seeking approval of a local option sales tax, as soon a 2024, which is required of both the Legislature and Faribault voters. However, as part of the 2023 Omnibus Tax bill approved at the Legislature, a 2-year moratorium was placed on local sales taxes. 

A local options sales tax is unique in that it is applied to any sale, lease, or rental of tangible personal items (goods), rather than being applied to property taxes. This means not just local Faribault residents pitch in to help generate revenue. Many communities throughout the state use this method of revenue generation for identified capital projects. 

With the recent moratorium, the City intends to continue the current planning phase, but future direction will be needed from the City Council as it relates to funding/timeline/etc.

Why a new Community Center? 

Our current facility is 45 years old, and while we work to keep up with maintenance, we’re restricted in being able to offer our community what it’s long asked for: more activities (for youth and adults) and programs, more gathering spaces and things to do for kids and teenagers, meeting spaces and classrooms, and more.

The current Faribault Community Center was built in 1978 as a “Family Y.” In 1988, the “Y” defaulted and the City of Faribault acquired the facility. During a construction project in 1994, the Buckham Memorial Library joined walls on the east side of the Community Center. In 1996, the Faribault Area Senior Center opened on the west end of the Community Center. In 2019, the Faribault Area Senior Center (now known as Buckham West), which is a separate nonprofit not affiliated with the City, expanded its facility. The current Community Center has a 25-yard, 6-lane swimming pool, single gymnasium, small fitness room, two racquetball courts, a single meeting room and locker rooms. In 1999, internal changes were made to the facility.

In 1999, the Washington School was acquired and is being used as a satellite community center, the Washington Recreation Center. It is comprised of a small half gym and four meeting rooms.

Major - timely and needed to continue operations - have been made to the current Community Center over the years including replacing the pool filter system, replacing the HVAC units and replacing the roof. 

Our pool is nearing the end of its life. At nearly 50 years old, much of its infrastructure is on its way out. 

What would happen to the current Community Center?

If the City were to move ahead with building a new Community Center, it's unclear what would become of the current facility. There have been many discussions about what it could be used for, but it's not the City intentions to continue operating the current facility if a new one were to be built.