By Chris Frost
EAGLE TIMES NEWS EDITOR
CLAREMONT, N.H. — The Claremont Savings Bank Community Center is working to get more people through its doors through corporate memberships, room rentals and new programs.
Currently, Red River is the only corporate member of the facility, but the center is looking for more partners.
It is also looking at Silver Sneakers, a senior exercise program, and other programs that could use the facility.
“I might not increase membership, but it will increase traffic and give people to visit our facility,” Parks and Recreation Director Nick Lawrence said.
Lawrence hopes to increase total room rentals at the center by 25 percent this fiscal year. Some of that increase could come from other city facilities.
“Redirect those typically hosting birthday parties and other events at Arrowhead,” he said. “You know, there might be an opportunity. This would be a seamless transition to usher them across the street.”
Some work will need to be done to prepare, internet access at the center can be troublesome during high-traffic periods.
“We have an electrician coming… to look at hard wiring our meeting rooms. That’s a deterrent right now,” he said. “Organizations, or companies… don’t have internet they can count on. We need to fix that.”
The center also needs to obtain software which can manage the facility’s programs and services.
Lawrence plans to examine all programming to determine what is self-sustaining.
“What can be misleading is there are revenues and expenses attached to the Community Center,” he said. “That’s not entirely true. That budget supports all our recreation programs in the city.”
Programming is budgeted at $105,000 for the next year, which supports sports, camps, trips and road races.
“We have a duty to look and make sure we are covering our costs,” he said.
Lawrence is already working with the program superintendent to keep costs down and is looking to “increase fees and adjust program content or pursue the appropriate sponsorships for all programs that do not break even,” he said. “A lot of our recreation programs need a modest increase to accomplish that.”
He hopes to have new programming and create value for visitors.
“These additions will not carry merit if we’re not meeting visitors’ needs,” he said.
He’s received feedback about more parking, additional supervision and members upset about equipment downtime. He said the center should begin 10 self-sustaining offerings, starting with pool programming.
“Obtaining lifeguards is a national challenge but we see that as improving,” he said. “The pool should be a primary foot traffic driver, which it hasn’t been recently.”
They brought back the Tiger Sharks Swim Team.
“Swim night, family lessons, Family Fun Night on Friday nights, and the Master Swim Program,” he said. “Those are all new.”
Props like basketball nets have been added at the pool to create structured programs, he said.
“We’re looking at ways to use vacant spaces not rented out to offer structured activities for students,” he said.
Lawrence wants to research adding things like a climbing wall, ninja cross-training and a diving board.
“These are new attractions that come with expense and additional risk, in some cases, but we are researching creative ways to have more people,” he said.
He’s looking into a walking club, cooking classes and crocheting and plans to rework space in the fitness center, now that COVID is over, and add more equipment.
The center is also evaluating its staff capacity to offer expanded fitness classes and may “introduce subcontractor-facilitated classes with instructors not around during the full calendar year.”
“A reconstructed personal training program could add $50,000 to 60,000,” he said citing a study by consultant Active Entities.
“We’re poised to garner an increased sense of community through the Community Center,” Lawrence said.
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