Over 40 people attended the meeting by the Mandan Park Board to hear about its plans for the fitness center currently located at Mandan Community Center being moved to Raging Rivers. The proposal will be brought up on the park board's next meeting, March 8. Brian L. Gray photo

By Brian L. Gray

A new fitness center location is in the making, but action to move forward on the plan won’t take place until more solid financing is in order.

The Mandan Park Board held a special meeting Monday evening to discuss a possible move of its fitness center from the Community Center to Raging Rivers, which the park district also owns.

Total costs to renovate the south portion of Raging Rivers’ main building, Parks Director Cole Higlin said, is expected to be $75,000. Current floor plans show the fitness center with 35,000 square feet of space. More than 40 people were in attendance, and a few recommended more space be added, as the north side of the main building is used only four months out of the year.

The addition of a front desk, and two restrooms for men and women each, would leave the remaining 27,000 square feet for the fitness center.

The move would require installation of a wall at Raging Rivers to divide the main room into two smaller spaces, as well as painting, flooring and electrical. There is no set estimate at this time for electrical work, Higlin said.

The park district’s current cardio equipment, Higlin said, may be sold to the school district, who will be taking over the Mandan Community Center on July 1. This will allow the fitness center to lease brand new equipment. Higlin said those with fitness membership fees could still be tied to the Community Center’s pool.

This potential move, Higlin said, may cause more members to quit their memberships. “We do expect a loss of members because of the location. But we also expect to gain members with the south location, so we believe that will be a wash,” he said.

One major benefit to moving to Raging Rivers, Park Board Director Tracy Porter said, is the move could allow changing the fitness center 24-hour access for members.

Mandan resident Tom Baer asked the board how long the fitness center would remain at Raging Rivers, with long-term talks taking place for a recreation center in the future. Porter said, “I could see this staying here for the long run.” If a recreation center was built on the north side of Mandan, he said, a fitness center on south side would assist residents on both sides of town.

Board member Jason Arenz said he was in favor of the decision to vote in favor of this proposal, but wanted more concrete numbers before doing so. “This really is the logical action, but I’m not confident on the numbers at this time,”_he said. Higlin said by the next board meeting, more specific numbers will be available for electrical bids.

The move would allow for a transition period, Porter said. He believed if all the necessary work was completed in time, the fitness center could be open by early to mid-July.

The issue will be brought up again during the park board’s next meeting, taking place Monday, March 8, at Mandan City Hall.