I have lived in Cambridge, MN for six years. I thought I knew it fairly well. I can get to any place in town. I know where to go if I need new tabs. In the last week, however, I have discovered that I don't know it as well as I thought.
In the last week, I have learned that our community has wanted a community center for a long time. A thought I have had in the back of my mind and nothing more. This community has wanted a community center so much that they tried, unsuccessfully, to coax the YMCA to put a new center here. In the end, they joined forces with the National Guard, Armed Forces of Cambridge to build the new community center just south of the Cambridge Campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College on Spirit River Drive.
That last bit I knew, as the massive building is visible from the campus. What was news to me was that the City Council Planning Commission still has a task force working on the project. They hope to build on to what already exists at the site. I found that the leader of the Community Center Task Force is Dave Carlberg. And he has contact information available so that I could possibly follow up on the further development of the Armed Forces Reserve Community Center.
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Good scoop. I would suggest following up with some obvious questions that come out of this: why was Cambridge unable to coax the Y to build something in town? What is the community's financial situation, that it needs to turn to the national guard to underwrite this community center? Is Cambridge experiencing financial constraints? How has the recession affecting city finances? Etc.
ReplyDeleteInteresting blog. I didn't know either that Cambridge wanted a community center. I live in North Branch, so I usually go to Cambridge often. I hope they are able to build a center. That would be great. :)
ReplyDeleteThis would definitely be an interesting story to work off of for our upcoming article project!
ReplyDeleteCambridge has wanted a community center for a long time. My understanding is that they want a city pool for the City, and they want to make sure finances are available.
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