The Penns Valley Ram Community Centre capital campaign is off to a great start. As the campaign committee continues with its work, the board and administration thought it might be a great time to share renewed understandings about the RCC project from a school district perspective.
We recognize the role the school district plays as a hub to the community. We also recognize that our chief purpose is to educate the youth of Penns Valley. Throughout the development of the RCC project, we have maintained our focus on the core mission of the school district and will continue that focus into the future.
The project has been revised to be smaller in size and cost, now projected at about $4.5 million. The feasibility study yielded concerns about the initial business plan; the RCC group listened and garnered financial support through lease commitments that will exceed the costs of facility operation and mortgage.
The leased section of the RCC will include space for medical personnel, day care and a senior center all served by a large gymnasium, multipurpose rooms, locker facilities, mat room and athletic field restrooms.
The board realizes the importance a vital community plays in a successful school system. As a district, we believe it makes financial sense to constellate a more efficient use of the existing infrastructure. The pooled resources provide an opportunity to the Penns Valley community that would not be feasible in the absence of the cooperation between the RCC and the school district. The public/private partnership at the heart of the Ram Community Centre is the vehicle to get us there.
A vital component of this project is that no tax dollars will be used to construct or maintain the property. In fact, the school district will realize revenue from the project through land use payments and utility usage fees for water, sewer and heat. These services, purchased by the RCC, will produce a projected annual income of about $52,000.
The district will also benefit from improved pedestrian access and additional income from grass cutting and parking lot maintenance. We anticipate $20,000 of additional income for the district for use of PV school playing fields, gyms and cafeteria.
Because the district does not own the facility, it can benefit from its fee-based use without concern of incurring other costs traditionally associated with ownership. We envision interactions among our students, the valley’s senior citizens and children in day care and the opportunity for our students to access YMCA activities and receive athletic trainer services from an onsite physical therapist. And community members would benefit from public restroom facilities during home athletic events at absolutely no cost.
This project is similar to successful community center projects in Beaver Springs, McAlisterville and East Lycoming. These projects have been researched by the RCC group and ideas incorporated into the planning of this facility. The Penns Valley board and administration have carefully reviewed the entire RCC plan and believe the RCC has an outstanding opportunity to succeed and grow.
The capital campaign is ongoing and looking to raise at least half of the building’s cost while financing the remainder of the project. Multiple banks have enthusiastically pre-qualified the loans to finance the facility based on the business plan as presented.
We look forward with optimism to a Ram Centre that will build the foundation of a lasting legacy for our community.
Brian K. Griffith is superintendent of the Penns Valley Area School District and serves on the fundraising campaign committee for the Ram Community Centre.
