Frequently
Asked Questions
Why is this facility being located east of Camp
Point?
The location has changed quite a few times since the idea
of building a health & fitness facility in rural western
Illinois started taking shape. The Board of Directors is
composed of people from area communities. Several factors
led to this decision made by the Board of Directors of the
West Central Illinois Community Centers. The main criterion
for this has always been accessibility to the largest possible
number of people without duplicating other services. The
center will have an aquatic center that will complement the
Mount Sterling facility. This location will allow children
to be dropped off from the school buses. This facility will
further lead to more economic development.
back to top How big is it going to be?
The current plans call for a building that includes a lap
pool, therapy pool, elderly friendly walking track, weight
machines/cardiovascular workout area, teen center, rooms
for after school programs, aerobic/Tai Chi/Pilates classes,
demonstration kitchen, intergenerational congregational area,
gymnasium, areas for more rooms, indoor driving range, and
indoor batting cages. The building design is such that it
can be built in phases. Phased building is more costly and
it would be best to build it all initially. This depends
on the success of the fundraising campaign. The greatest
need is for the regional aquatic facility. This is currently
NOT easily available to most people within the identified
coverage area.
back to top What about the fitness center going up in Mt. Sterling?
There has been and continues to be a relationship with the
Mt. Sterling YMCA, which is now open. The Mount Sterling
facility will not have an aquatic center. The location of
the regional aquatic center is a result of regional planning
to serve the greatest number of people and their traffic
patterns without duplicating services.
back to top Aren't there grants for this sort of thing? Are you trying
to obtain any?
Grants are often more available for programming than for
building projects. Even so, there are foundations and corporations,
local and national, which provide support for projects like
this one. It is important to note that many funders at this
level are more inclined to support projects that have clear
evidence of community support, the sort of evidence that
comes from local residents pledging financial support for
the project.
back to top Will this increase my taxes? Are there are any financial
benefits?
No, this project will not increase your taxes. The West
Central Illinois Community Centers board is a not-for-profit
organization with no taxing authority. There will be several
financial benefits to the region. A region that comes together
to develop a comprehensive health facility will be very attractive
to new residents and businesses. If the population continues
to decline, the same costs for maintaining the infrastructure
(police, fire, water, electricity) will remain and will be
spread across a smaller number of people. Keeping the population
stable or growing will help to spread the infrastructure
cost.
back to top How will this be supported after it's built?
Support in future years will come from a blend of memberships,
user fees, grants, corporate and foundation support, and
probably other sorts of fundraising. The center would meet
its operating budget with 400 paying memberships. Other sources
of funding would be sought to further develop more programs
to meet the area's needs.
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What is the relationship with the various school districts?
From the beginning, the potential for use by area schools
was obvious. Use of the pool for physical education classes,
for example, is certainly possible given the relatively short
drive. In addition, perhaps districts could co-op in organizing
a swimming team, another sports opportunity for our young
men and women. This would also give area schools more space
for after-school programs. There is no financial arrangement
between the West Central Illinois Community Board and the
area school boards. The superintendents of the area schools
are on the board and their expertise is very much appreciated.
back to top What will happen to my money if this doesn't become a reality?
The mission of the West Central Illinois Community Centers
Board is to improve the health and well-being of the citizens
of rural Adams , Brown and Hancock Counties through facilities
and programming. Several years of planning, study, energy,
and analysis have gone into this project. It is the board's
full belief that with the help of the area's citizens, businesses
and granting organizations that the community center will
become a reality. However, in our articles of incorporation
of our not for profit organization, provisions were made
if the effort failed, to dispose of all the assets to other
qualifying not for profit organizations. Since our mission
is to serve the rural citizens of Adams, Brown, and Hancock
counties, the qualifying not for profit organizations would
have to serve the rural areas. Possibilities could be the
area school district foundations, distributed proportionately
by percentage of funds received from the districts or other
not for profit organizations in the area that serve this
rural area. The board will not have to distribute these funds
to others if everyone helps out. Together, this can become
a reality to benefit the area and our people.
back to top Why can't this facility be located in an existing building
instead of building from scratch?
There is no existing centrally located facility with the
square footage for both the facility itself and parking.
In addition, since we anticipate a good many of the visitors
to be senior citizens, some coming from area nursing homes,
we must make sure the building can accommodate any special
needs.
back to top Why do we need something like this in a rural area?
If one examines the health status of our rural residents,
there is more heart disease, strokes, and arthritis. It has
been shown that a community based collaborative process is
what helps to make a difference in achieving better health
for everyone.
The easy answer is, “We don't NEED something like this.” After
all, Quincy has a nice YMCA, and Mt. Sterling 's may be without
a pool, but it's only 20-30 minutes away. That's all true,
but the real question to ask is: “Why shouldn't we
have something like this in a rural area?” There
will be economic benefits resulting from this facility. People
will see it as one more reason that living in the country
or a small town doesn't mean giving up a lot of amenities
or driving to Quincy for everything. We need to think big
and work hard to make big things happen. Otherwise small
town business districts will continue to decline because,
after all, we don't need stores because we can drive to Quincy.
back to top
What relationship will there be with similar facilities
in Quincy and Mt. Sterling?
There have been informal discussions with the Quincy YMCA
and the Mount Sterling YMCA. There will be every effort to
have reciprocal memberships or reduced fees.
back to top Is this just for rich people?
Definitely not. Once the facility is open and operating,
membership fees will be set at a reasonable level, and sliding
scale/free memberships will be based on income for those
that can not afford the membership fee. One of the main reasons
this facility is so needed here is the level of poverty in
our part of the state. There is a commitment to reaching
out to everyone, regardless of financial status.
back to top What groups will be served by this?
Schools will be major partners, as well as nursing homes.
Hopefully area employers will see the value in providing
memberships for their employees, since the effect on health
insurance demands is clearly documented through research.
back to top Can this really happen?
Yes. There's a YMCA in Aledo, a pretty small town in Mercer
County on the Mississippi between Burlington and Rock Island
. They did it. There are small communities in Missouri that
operate similar facilities. They did it. We can, too! It
will mean people from different communities not accustomed
to working together do so. It will mean thinking positively
and working hard to reach an ambitious goal when it's easier
to say, “Why bother? We can't do this.” It means getting
involved, making a donation and/or a pledge. Like most good
things, they don't come easily, and it all starts with you.
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