Danville’s community center is building new fitness, childcare and social programs with $4 million from fundraising and grants.
Center managers updated community members on the renovation timeline in between Wednesday’s Silver Sneakers class. The Danville Area Community Center (DACC) reached $1.3 million of its $1.5 million community funding campaign. Staff said they expect to get the remaining grant money over the next few months.
Pam Laubach helped clean up the exercise room afterwards. She joined Silver Sneakers to stay active. It’s an exercise class for older adults or those with health concerns. She’s thrilled that some money will go to expanding the exercise room.
“We get like sardines in here sometimes,” said Laubach. “And it’s like, it’s crowded. And you need space…to do what you need to do. And I also go to swim class downstairs and we’re excited for the new locker rooms, because the lockers are so old and antiquated and tiny. And so [we’re] really excited about that.”
The center opened nearly 40 years ago. Laubach said renovations are long overdue.
DACC announced renovations in October, but construction has not started. Harry Mathias works with the center as a consultant. He said he did not want members to feel like no progress had been made, so he wanted to start with a major renovation: the locker rooms.
“Our concern was that the community has been so generous and stepping up with, y’know, $1.3 million dollars,” said Mathias. “We didn’t want them to start to think, ‘Well, gee, they did this campaign and got all this money. How come they’re not doing anything?’”
Funding breakdown
Mathias stood by a chart that laid out where the renovation funding will come from.
- Community funding: $1.3 million with a goal of $1.5 million.
- RACP: $1 million. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program finances renovations for community or economic organizations.
- State LSA grant: $600,000. The Local Share Account is a state grant that funds projects with gaming revenue. The project must benefit a community, according to the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED).
- Federal CDS funding: $1 million. Congress can award funding each fiscal year.
- State DCED Community Facilities grant: $560,000. It finances community building renovation projects through statewide COVID funds.
DACC’s Director of Community Engagement Mark Giesen explained the complicated grant process.
“I’ve described it as not a double helix, like DNA, but a quadruple helix. Because you have federal dollars that aren’t approved yet, federal dollars that have, state dollars that have been approved, and state dollars that haven’t,” said Giesen. “And they all have to interplay together. And if it works, it’ll multiply what the community has donated.”
Giesen said the next month is crucial to the campaign.
“The fact that we have a project underway and the fact that we’re going to have some dust flying in about a month is very helpful to us. Because it shows the federal government that we have started this timeline. This is a three-year timeline: three-year capital campaign, three years of renovations,” said Giesen.
New services, new friends
Silver Sneakers instructor Lynn Dempsey is ready to start construction. She said the project will give her more resources for her classes.
“I think we’re going to have two exercise rooms. So, I think…one might be a studio and across the hall will be one,” said Dempsey. “But I’m excited for the DACC living room for people to meet up and talk, and also an area where people [can go if] they need help for recommendations.”
The new DACC houses a social services coordinator that will connect people to resources like housing and medical care. It’s through a partnership with local nonprofit Central Susquehanna Opportunities.
Pam Laubach hopes the renovations will make the center more welcoming to those searching for a social outlet.
“It brings camaraderie because there are people that this is the only time that they ever get out,” said Laubach. “So, it gives them different people to talk to, things to talk about, and y’know, develop friendships outside of their home.
Dempsey heartedly agreed. She said older adults need to find community spaces for emotional and physical health.
“Yeah, socialization is a big part of exercising. Especially with Silver Sneakers… [many people are] alone at home. And it's depressing. So, you come out, socialize, you feel good. And you exercise and you’re moving better because you are exercising,” said Dempsey.
DACC staff said they hope to have the full $3.9 million for the project by early 2025.
