By Kate Hessling
Assistant News Editor

BAD AXE — The organizer of a proposed multi-million dollar health and recreation center recently told the Tribune that project still is very much alive.

“Even in the face of enormous difficulty, this project is doable and viable,” said Harcharan (Harry) S. Suri, president of the Health and Recreation Center Coalition, which was formed in November 2007 to spearhead the planning, development, construction and operation of a multi-purpose facility in Bad Axe.

Preliminary architectural renderings Suri gave the Tribune last week show the facility could include an indoor pool, ice arena, fitness center, banquet and conference center, arcade, cafe, outdoor splash park, a teen area and area for senior citizens, and wellness center. Preliminary estimates indicated the facility could cost between $15 to $20 million.

From the start, the coalition has insisted it will seek funds to build the center from corporate, private and public foundations and state and federal government agencies. Today, that’s still the case, as Suri stressed the coalition is not looking for funds from the county or local units of government.

The coalition still is looking at building the facility on county-owned land it’s been leasing.

The agreement was outlined in a resolution the Huron County Board of Commissioners approved in May 2009. Per the agreement, the coalition leases the 37-acre parcel on Thomas Road off M-53 in Colfax Township for $10 an acre, or $370 annually during the five years it’s being reserved for the design and construction of a health and recreation facility.

The resolution also includes a schedule of funds that have to be raised each year in order for the agreement to continue. At this time, the coalition has raised $128,000, which is behind the schedule established in the resolution. Over the past two weeks, county commissioners have discussed amending the schedule outlined in that resolution, but no formal action has been taken.

Suri said fundraising has been difficult primarily because of the economic environment. In fact, the coalition delayed conducting a countywide community interest survey in 2008 because of the economy, he said. The survey was conducted in 2009, and of the responses it received, the majority were positive and helped show the coalition what the community wants and is willing to pay for, Suri said.

Since the survey was completed, the coalition has hired Sidock Group Inc. and Rink Management Services Corp. to produce detailed engineering and financial plans that include a five-year operating budget. Suri said the plans have to be detailed, and show donors that this is a credible project and can operate on its own. That’s why it’s being prepared by third parties who are experts in these kinds of facilities, he said.

“It’s going to be a plan that can withstand detailed scrutiny,” he said.

Suri said the coalition expects the plans will be finished later this spring and posted online at http://www.myhealthandreccenter.org.

Once that’s done, the coalition will be able to concentrate 100 percent on raising funds, Suri said.

Getting donors is not an easy task, but Suri said he will continue to work no matter how long it takes to make the project a reality.

Support and partnership will go a long way toward making this project succeed, Suri said. That’s why he favors working with the county and hockey association toward building the recreation center because it would include an ice rink.

He explained that historically, people have attempted to build and operate recreation facilities that offer limited services on a relatively small scale. They were not viable because they couldn’t attract a large enough membership. The center, he said, offers a sufficient variety of health and recreation services to attract a broad spectrum of county residents with different interests and needs.

“Shopping malls are attractive because they allow the customer to fulfill a variety of shopping needs in one place and also because they have spaces conducive to socializing. The coalition’s preliminary surveys suggest that a multi-purpose center designed to provide one-stop-shopping for health and recreation, as well as a gathering place for Huron County’s citizens, will be similarly attractive,” according to information from the coalition. “The multi-purpose center, by its broad appeal, and as essentially ‘the only game in Huron County,’ is expected to attract and maintain a high membership count.”

The coalition estimates the average household income in Huron County suggests an affordable daily fee for services would be above the cost of coffee for a day ($1.15) or about $35 per month.

During Tuesday’s Huron County Board of Commissioners meeting of the whole, Chairman Clark Elftman said he wants Suri to put his expertise and energy behind helping obtain funding for the Huron County Hockey Association and Huron County SafePlace.

Specifically, he wanted a consensus from the board as to whether it believes Suri should use his expertise to help with efforts to build a new ice arena. After it was clarified that Elftman wants Suri to help with those other efforts in addition to his plan for the recreation facility, the rest of the board concurred.

Kate Hessling • (989) 269-6461 • khessling@hearstnp.com

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Coalition continues work toward health, recreation center