• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Sunday, February 28, 2021
51 °f
Platte
43 ° Tue
48 ° Wed
49 ° Thu
47 ° Fri
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Rates at Platte centers highest in area

Kim Fickett by Kim Fickett
September 23, 2004
in Platte County
3
SHARES
86
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

When it comes to who has the most competitive community center membership rates in the Northland, exactly where do the new Platte County Community Centers rank?

This week The Landmark put the numbers to the test, as the newspaper placed phone calls to two other Northland area community centers.

RelatedNews

Republican women to meet via Zoom

Contractor chosen for new Buck O’Neil Bridge

Health department gets much less than requested

The Platte County Community Centers, which will be staffed and operated by the YMCA of Greater Kansas City, recently began their membership drive offering residents a discount on the monthly fees.

Membership fees per month for Platte County residents at the Platte County centers are: family $68.40, individual $45.90, senior family $60.30, senior individual $39.60, and teen $20.70. Rates for non-residents are slightly higher.

The centers will feature a wellness center, indoor gymnasium, indoor family aquatics center, indoor walking track, indoor and outdoor playground equipment, locker rooms and a lounge. Both centers will provide programs such as aerobics, yoga, palates and more to their members.

The 29,000 square foot Northland facility, at 3101 Running Horse Road in Platte City, is slated to open at the end of October. The 53,000 square foot southern facility, 8875 Clark Ave., Parkville, will open in January 2005.

Both facilities are being built with funds from Platte County’s half cent sales tax for parks and recreation.

Just 20 minutes away of Platte City, Northland residents can find membership fees on the opposite end of the spectrum.

At the 96,000 square foot North Kansas City Community Center, 1999 Iron, North Kansas City, Mo., rates for both residents of North Kansas City and non-residents are considerably lower than those of the Platte County centers.

Monthly rates at the North Kansas City Center for residents in the city limits of North Kansas City are: family $43, adult $24, senior $16, and youth $16. Non-resident rates are: family $53, adult $29, senior $18, and youth $18.

The community center, which is operated by the City of North Kansas City, opened in December of 2001.

The membership includes entrance into the 6,479 square foot aquatics area (lap swimming, leisure pool with a slide, vortex, bubble couch and a lazy river), on-deck warm water spa, steam room and sauna; fitness area; suspended walking track, three-basketball/four-volleyball courts, 25 foot climbing wall, locker rooms, three meeting rooms, child watch area, senior area, arts and crafts classroom, technical classroom, and game room.

The community center also offers classes including: aerobics, palates, yoga and more. The center is staffed by 10 full-time and 100 part-time employees.

The $13.5 million facility is an enterprise operation funded by 65% self-supporting funds and 35% from the community center endowment fund.

According to Greg Hansen, director of the North Kansas City Community Center, gaming revenue went toward the construction of the center.

“We’re unique on how we’re set up,” stated Hansen. “There’s no tax levy, and no bonds. All the tax money used to construct the facility was saved by the city.”

The North Kansas City Community Center between Oct. 3, 2003-Sept. 1, 2004 has a membership base of 12,790. Hansen stated the center has a 93% membership retention rate, and gained 3,129 new members during that same period.

The facility operates Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m., and Sunday, noon-8 p.m.

Hansen stated there’s one main difference between the Platte County Community Centers and the center in Northtown.

“We don’t receive any parks and recreation funding, so it doesn’t really match up comparing one center to the other. It’s not comparing apples to apples,” said Hansen.

In Liberty, the same situation holds true.

According to Donna Taylor, Liberty Community Center manager, the city owned Liberty Community Center, 1600 S. Withers Road, has an operation budget funded by 88% user fees and 12% funded by a 1/4 cent sales tax.

With the majority of the operation budget coming from membership fees, expectations of higher rates are shattered when people go to join the facility.

Taylor, who stated the memberships are usually sold as annual, summer or daily packages, agreed to break down the numbers on a monthly basis.

Rates at the Liberty Community Center for members who reside inside the city limits of Liberty are: family $31.67, individual $15.83, senior (60 and over) $12.92, and youth $10.83. Non-residents are: family $47.50, individual $23.75, senior $19.17, and youth $16.25.

Membership fees include access to four pools (two indoor/two outdoor), basketball court, fitness center, game room (video games, pool, air hockey, and ping pong), locker rooms, three meeting rooms, and a 700 seat performance arts theater.

The center offers an average of 25-30 parks programs a year including: kids and adult dance, swim lessons, aerobics, golf and dog obedience.

The original $5.6 million facility was constructed in 1992, with a $2.4 million, 6,000 square foot expansion added in 2003.

The facility employs 14 full-time staff and an average of 50-60 part-time staff.

Taylor stated the center maintains 2,500 annual pass units, 700 summer pass units and an average of 25-30,000 daily pass sales.



Tags: parkvilleplatte cityplatte countyriversidetaxes
Kim Fickett

Kim Fickett

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–February 27, 1976

by Ivan Foley
February 26, 2021
0

Mr. and Mrs. Allen Buxton of Weston announce the birth of their daughter, Valerie Sue, on Sunday, Feb. 22, 1976 at St. John Hospital in Leavenworth. Mrs. Buxton formerly worked at Bobbi's Hair Fashions in Platte City. Doug Hunt, Platte...

30 Years Ago–March 1, 1991

by Ivan Foley
February 26, 2021
0

The Platte City Chamber of Commerce Thursday heard Mayor Steve Wegner deliver a "State of the City" address. The KCI Conference of Schools, hosted by Smithville R-2 School District and Parents as Teachers, will present "The Power of Positive Parenting"...

15 Years Ago–February 23, 2006

by Ivan Foley
February 26, 2021
0

The call to serve his country has come once again for State Rep. Jason Brown of Platte City. Brown, a member of the United States Army Reserves, told The Landmark that he has been called to fulfill a one year...

State of transportation

State of transportation

by Landmark Staff
February 26, 2021
0

EDITOR: We often take our roads and bridges for granted. We trust them to hold our cars up and to get us to work, school, or home. We're thankful for the crews that maintain them and - especially this week...

Next Post

Another Parkville business going smokeless

Popular News

  • Vaccine shot

    Around 1,700 shots to be offered in the next week

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • City ‘finds’ 2,300 records, gives them to Jason Maki

    13 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • County health department eases restrictions

    12 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • Attorney general probing Parkville on Sunshine

    7 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • Mayor gets two years probation for DWI

    20 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Subscribe Online
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist