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Pole Creek clubhouse project needs $400,000 in homeowner donations

KATIE LOOBY
SKY-HI DAILY NEWS

The Pole Creek clubhouse project is set to begin in a couple months ” the only thing missing is the $400,000 donation from homeowners the Fraser Valley Recreation Metropolitan District has in its budget.

Pole Creek homeowner John Carroll said no one has approached him about a donation.

Carroll said he has heard people say, ” ‘The homeowners ought to kick in (money) because this is going to enhance the value of their property.’



“One of the problems is, we’ve already kicked in because we paid premium for our lots because they were on the golf course to begin with,” he said. “To me there’s a little bit of a disconnect there. It’s always easy to spend somebody else’s money.”

The latest site plan was shown to the rec district board at the May 27 meeting. Ryan Smelker, with ARC Integrated Program Management Inc. of Boulder gave the presentation.



“I felt like you glossed over that $400,000 pending,” said district resident Julie Sawyer. “And then you alluded to the fact that Jim Fox was the person who was spearheading this.”

Fox is the former district board president. New board president Dan O’Connell said the board and staff also will help find funding.

“We’re all trying to keep our ear to the ground,” he said.

Sawyer said this was a “pretty nebulous” comment.

Smelker said the board directed him to add the $400,000 to the budget at a meeting a couple months ago.

“Your budget has formally been increased by $400,000, so that’s what the design’s assuming,” he said. “If you need to cut back and revisit that, then we have some work ahead of us. And you’re right, it will impact schedule if you now come back and say, ‘No, we don’t have those funds.’ “

Board member Beth Sands said that Fox is out of the country but that he was confident the district would be able to find the money.

O’Connell did not want to the project put off either.

“There’s got to be some ways to get involved and get some money,” he said. “I’d sure like to see an effort myself.”

New board member Greg Gallavan is determined to stay on budget.

“I’m not going to go over budget and I’m not going to bet on someone putting in $400,000,” he added.

The project could start as soon as Aug. 15 and be completed by next summer.

The Pole Creek clubhouse was originally estimated to cost $3.07 million. The board already approved the additional $400,000, making the budget $3.4 million.

About $12,670 of the $75,000 donation from Big Valley Construction is also being figured in. Big Valley, the Granby contractor who will build the projects with subcontractors, committed to giving the district $75,000 as long as it was chosen to construct both the district’s recreation center and clubhouse.

Big Valley’s construction costs are currently about $2.9 million, and the septic system cost also could increase. The district will receive its next estimate from Big Valley soon. Smelker said each time the construction company receives a plan with an extra level of detail, the company has to refigure its estimates. If the figure rises the district will have more value engineering to do, he said.


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