Years in the making, Wessington Springs Rec Center now serving school, community

Feb. 6—WESSINGTON SPRINGS, S.D. — It took a little longer than expected, but the Wessington Springs Rec Center is now open and ready to serve the school district and local community members.

The new 13,000 square-foot space, which includes a full-sized basketball court and gymnasium as well as a fitness center, was completed in November after years of planning and fundraising. It is now being used by both students and district patrons as well as members of the community at large.

"We're going to wonder what we ever did without it," Hilary Grohs, a member of the Build Springs committee, told the Mitchell Republic. "It's a great addition."

Grohs said the need for a second gymnasium in the community has been discussed for about 30 years. But efforts to make that a reality got underway in earnest in 2019 with the Build Springs committee, a non-profit group that spearheaded the expansion project. The group set about fundraising for the proposed new building, with the committee encouraging donations that would go toward the center, which was initially expected to cost around $1.75 million.

But like many other building projects at the time, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed progress greatly. With supply chain issues and inflation causing a spike in construction costs, what started as a $1.75 million effort eventually increased to over $5 million.

It was at then that Build Springs realized it needed to shift gears if it wanted to see the project come to fruition. Building costs were expected to rise faster than the group could bring in donations.

"(COVID-19) was the biggest challenge, and the community was also raising funds for a renovated swimming pool at the time, which was also very much needed in the community," Grohs said. "At that point we knew we were not going to fundraise fast enough."

So Build Springs took the roughly $600,000 it had raised for the project and offered it to the school district in the event that it wanted to use those funds in combination with its own to set up financing, secure a bid and complete construction in a timely manner.

The Wessington Springs School District, and the board of education, was on board with that idea.

Michael Ormsmith, superintendent for the Wessington Springs School District, said that the rec center project was underway by the time he arrived in the district, but the momentum to complete the work was already there. The funds from Build Springs, coupled with money from the district capital outlay fund as well as federal ESSER monies, made the time right for the district to pick up the ball and run with it.

At that stage, the project was looking to cost about $5.4 million, and it wasn't going to get any cheaper, Ormsmith said.

"Even when it came in at the price it did, which was right around $5.4 million, the district and board decided the project would only get more expensive," Ormsmith said.

The financing method allowed for the district to pay for the project without having to go through a public bond vote, the 60% approval threshold of which can be difficult to obtain from voters. The Wessington Springs district learned this when it

narrowly approved a $3.5 million high school renovation project in 2018 with 61.8% approval.

Such bond issues can be hit or miss. Two recent bond issues in

Mitchell

and

Chamberlain

recently were approved by public vote, while another in Marion failed in January.

Though bonds were used for the rec center project, it did not require a public vote, Ormsmith said.

"We did take out a bond but it was not something the community had to vote on. It's a smaller bond we will pay off with our capital outlay fund, and our plan is to have that paid off within five years," Ormsmith said.

The district-owned building, which is attached to the elementary school and gym and is built on district land, brings new, modern health and fitness facilities to the community, along with an event space and enough practice and workout room to ease the demand among the school's student athletes.

The building is already being used by students at the school and members of the community, Grohs said, noting that some senior citizens were already visiting the facility. The new center's fitness area is handicap-accessible, which is also a big improvement over the community's previous fitness center.

"It's a really big deal. Already retired folks go in there and walk. It's great for all ages and families, and it brings in tax dollars," Grohs said.

The rec center, built by C. Eagle Construction, is expected to be the home of basketball tournaments and other events like farm shows, concerts and weddings as its use is embraced by the region, Grohs said. That means visitors to Wessington Springs will likely also stop for gas or a bite to eat when they're in town. Build Springs estimated that the community would receive a $10,000 economic boost for every tournament held at the facility.

For a community of about 750 people, that influx of dollars can be a big boost to city coffers, Grohs said.

The rec center is connected to the elementary school gym but it can be closed off for after-school events. During the day, however, students and staff utilize the new space to the fullest.

"We are very happy to have it finished, and it's a fantastic facility that we're already using for students who are doing workouts in there, and the second gym has really eased the practice schedule for all our teams," Ormsmith said.

The building is essentially finished, but there are some odds and ends that officials are still looking to add. Ormsmith said the school is looking at contractors to set up a keyless entry system so the public can access the building after hours, and Grohs noted that another funding push from Build Springs in late 2023 put money toward items like new fitness and cardio equipment and tables and chairs.

The district and Build Springs have worked together closely on the project, and it has been a success for both the school and the community, Ormsmith said.

"Build Springs has been a tremendous partner. It's been a fantastic relationship," Ormsmith said.

Grohs said the school and the community at large have worked well together on the project, and the new rec center is expected to serve Wessington Springs for years to come. She expressed deep thanks for the donors who made the project possible.

And while its primary focus was the new building, Grohs said Build Springs will stay alert for any other community enhancement projects it may be able to help with. They already have money set aside to help with a park project near the campground, but they're keeping their eyes open for any other way to give Wessington Springs a boost.

"As much as (the rec center) was our main focus, we do want to help the community in any ways we can. We wanted to see this project through, but if somebody else brings forth another great idea that helps benefit the community, we'd be all on board with that for sure," Grohs said.