More than 400 Forest Lake residents will be called in the first half of March and asked to participate in a comprehensive community center survey.

The survey is designed to determine levels of support for the proposed community center, which would become part of the Headwaters development south of the airport.

The Forest Lake Regional Community Center Task Force began planning the community center four years ago. Members gathered extensive input from interested user groups and other local community centers, and conducted an informal resident survey related to amenities.

Based on that feedback, the Task Force developed a preliminary plan. The next step is to fine-tune the scope, prepare a funding plan and take the recommendations to the Forest Lake City Council.

ìWeíve heard from people with differing views,î said Alan Bakke, task force co-chair. ìSome people have said this is long overdue; they want a center with lots of amenities and are willing to pay for it, some people prefer a more modest approach and some people have said they donít think we need one at all. In order to put together a proposal that reflects what the majority of our residents want, we need to take an analytical approach to gathering input,î he said.

The Task Force hired Decision Resources, Inc. to conduct the random survey. The local research firm specializes in government polling and has conducted community center surveys for many local cities including Shoreview, Maplewood, Andover and Chaska.

The survey is funded through a donation from the Forest Lake Area Athletic Association (FLAAA).

ìI hope residents who are called will take 15 minutes to share their thoughts,î Bakke said. ìPeople must speak up if they want to have a say in how the city grows and evolves.î

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Forest Lake Times
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880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
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