Group looks to create community center in Doubek building
By Tracy Ouellette
SLN Staff
Intergenerational East Troy, an offshoot of the United Greater East Troy organization, would like to open a community center in the Doubek building this year.
Martha Bresler and Lloyd Sineni presented a plan for the community center to the East Troy School Board at the May 13 meeting, requesting to lease about 5,600 square feet at Doubek for the center.
Bresler, a former School Board member, said the Intergenerational East Troy steering committee evolved from ongoing discussions about UGET’s goal of building a combined library, community center and senior living apartments. The group had been eyeing up the Chester Byrnes property for the project, but with the library now being a focus of the Tri-Troy Alliance and the senior living facility also being considered for another location, the steering committee began to focus on the community center.
With the committee’s focus narrowed, they began looking at “What can we do now?” Bresler said.
It was decided that they would get to work on creating and intergenerational center to serve a broad spectrum of the community.
Sineni said the group’s research has shown a community center is “highly desired” in East Troy and would give the community access direct access to county assistance programs instead of having to travel for the services.
“There are so many things done (in the county) that aren’t localized here,” Bresler said.
She added that having the community center could bring things into East Troy like the Wal-to-Wal DIAL-a-RIDE public transportation in Walworth County.
“We can pull social services into the center and consolidate everything under one roof,” Sineni said.
The center would also be a place where organizations like the Scouts, Kiwanis and other could meet and have storage space for their stuff and not have to haul it in and out for every meeting, Sineni said.
The East Troy Family Resource Center working with the steering committee on the project as it would give it an opportunity to expand its family and children’s programming, Sineni said.
No cost to the district
With the East Troy School District facing a structural deficit of nearly $500,000 next school year, Sineni emphasized the community center would “not cost the district a dime.”
The group would be leasing the space at a fair rate, based on the district’s policies for rental of district space.
What the exact amount of the lease will be is unknown at this time, but will be determined by who’s using the space when as the district doesn’t charge rental for children’s and youth programming for non-profits. The district’s policies outline payments in a tiered system for youth organizations, community organizations and for-profit businesses.
With the board voting unanimously to approve the lease for the community center, the lease will be drawn up by the district’s attorney for approval by IGET.
Funding the center
Bresler and Sineni said the group was “ready to pull the trigger” on fundraising and getting things going for the center and was only waiting on the School Board’s approval of the lease to move forward. The group has set a Sept. 1 date for opening the center.
The group plans to raise about $200,000 to open the center and Sineni said they didn’t have any concerns about being able to come up with the money. Seed money for the project is also being provided by the East Troy Kiwanis Club.
“We’re going to fundraise a bit different, with more social media, crowd-funding and sponsorships by local businesses and government,” Sineni said.
The center will also generate revenue with room rentals for non-profit groups.
The initial $200,000 will give the group enough money to make the needed renovations to the Doubek space and a cushion of operating costs for a couple of years, Bresler said.
The planned community center will have a room for the Family Resource Center, game room, common room, meeting room, craft room with sink, offices for career services and staff and restrooms.
For more information, or to make a donation, contact Bresler at 262-642-3667.
