Initial survey points to desire for a closer Community Wellness Center

If you build it, they probably will come. In a nutshell, that is the result of an initial feasibility study on constructing a Community Wellness Center somewhere in Isanti County.

According to Jon Commers, Managing Principal of Visible City, who was hired to conduct this initial survey, easily the top factor in why survey responders currently don't go to some sort of Community Center is the nearest ones are too far away. Commers said the initial survey yielded just under 1,400 responses.

"A strong majority — 82%, across all age groups answered they would be willing to travel 10 to 20 minutes to reach a wellness center," Commers said. "Very few were willing to travel farther than a half-hour. The majority of respondents indicated that the availability of facilities and distance is currently their top barrier to accessing programming and amenities that are important to them. Nearly three-quarters of respondents would join a facility if these barriers were eliminated."

Commers said the other significant issue among responders was the cost, with 38% indicating it is a barrier. Additionally, family discounts (66%) and no joining fee (56%) were listed as the top two perks to incentivize membership.

As far as what services a community center would offer, the survey indicates an indoor walking/jogging track was ranked as the highest priority, with roughly 70% indicating it was very important and roughly 23% saying it was somewhat important. Second was a fitness center, with slightly fewer (92%) saying it was very or somewhat important. The third-highest priority was a swimming pool, with roughly 90% indicating one was very or somewhat important.

The lowest priority feature, according to the survey, was an ice rink, with just over 50% saying it was very or somewhat important. Pickleball courts and gymnastics/tumbling spaces were also the lowest priority.

"It's not to say they weren't prioritized at all," Commers said, "they were just less so than the others."

As far as programming goes, the highest priority was for youth sports, with just under 80% saying it was very or somewhat important. Yoga and other group fitness were also highly ranked. Least important were meeting space and event space.

Commers said several existing centers were mentioned as possibly modeling an area wellness center around. Those included the Shoreview Community Center for its pool and water play space and outdoor playground; the Welia Center in Mora for its multicourt gym space and outdoor pool; and the Andover YMCA for its family programming and group fitness. Commers said 25 respondents specifically identified the need for a facility like a YMCA in their community, which indicates support for a potential future partnership with the YMCA of the North.

According to Commers, the next step would be a "more specific articulation for the market opportunity for a wellness center. So that would be getting into more defined sizing of what the market potential is, and what kind of activities you would want to potentially lead in a facility. And then you start to get into the trade-offs around the size of the facility, the cost of the facility, and the ability to deliver programs and experiences."

According to City Administrator Evan Vogel, this secondary survey would cost around $25,000, which the Wellness Center Steering Committee needs to determine how to pay for it, whether it is out of pocket of the various interested entities (the city of Cambridge, Isanti County, Cambridge-Isanti Schools, and Allina Health), or if they would prefer to seek out additional grants.

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