City responds to comment on Community Center | Letters

Published 12:48 pm Friday, March 29, 2013

I’m writing to share a point of correction regarding the Federal Way Community Center’s financial operations, as described in Don Vandenheuvel’s recent letter to the editor.

In 2012, the Federal Way Community Center’s operational subsidy was $425,000. The Community Center, like all parks, operates with support from other areas of the city’s budget, aside from direct facility revenues. The Community Center’s 2012 cost recovery is approximately 82 percent, which is well above the industry average, according to studies by LERN (Learning Resources Network, a leading recreation management and consulting firm ).

The goal for the Community Center is to increase cost recovery to the highest level possible. The facility’s financial operations have been strengthened each year for the past several years as it has grown in popularity and membership. The facility recently surpassed 3,304 household memberships (representing 6,106 individual members, about 7 percent of the Federal Way population) and received more than 350,000 visits in 2012.

Chris Carrel, spokesman, City of Federal Way