Big things for the Cottage Grove community came out of a strategic planning session Saturday, as the City Council has given go-ahead to planning and a referendum question on construction of a community center, which would include a water park and sports dome facility.

Mayor Myron Bailey said at last Wednesday night’s city council meeting that big things were on the docket for discussion at the session, held along with city staff and a facilitator. Perhaps none of those things are as big as plans for the community center.

The council was briefed on plans by Parks and Recreation Director Zac Dockter, City Administrator Jennifer Levitt and Finance Director Robin Roland. The council directed staff in June to prepare concept plans for review.

With voter approval, the project would cost an estimated $32.3 million, and the community center is proposed at the Shoppes of Cottage View development. Planned at the development are:

•Indoor playground

•Community rooms

•Sports dome with walking track

•Climbing wall

•Performance Space

•Early childhood family education space

•Office and storage space for the Cottage Grove Community Center

From Page 1 Athletic Association

•Outdoor landscaped areas

•Outdoor aquatic center.

Of the price tag, $21.5 million is for construction cost, $2 million is for site acquisition, $5 million is for site development, and “soft costs” are projected at $3.8 million.

The community center is projected at 21,750 square feet, and the sports dome would be 110,000 square feet. The aquatic center would sit on 2.5 acres, and there would be parking for 5600 vehicles.

Staff toured the recently-built New Hope Aquatic Park as part of planning.

If the referendum would be approved, debt service for the community center projects are projected at $2.11 million. That would translate to a tax impact annually of $71 on a home valued at $250,000, $88 on a home valued at $300,000 and $122 on a home valued at $400,000.

“The plan has been a long time coming,” reported Mayor Myron Bailey on his Facebook page. “We have been talking about a community center since I was a kid here in Cottage Grove.”

The location will be across from the new entrance to the Cottage Grove Ravine Park.

“Some significant new housing is being proposed in this area within the next year. We are also adding new roads into the area to support the facility and future retail, and new trails into the existing neighborhoods. This is going to be a fantastic facility…if the voters approve,” said Bailey.