JCC MOVE

Information & Frequently Asked Questions

On August 29, 2007, the community wide meeting was held.
According to the bylaws of the Federation/JCC – Article IV Section 10, subsection  (c) & d):  The following process shall be valid and exercised only after approval by the membership at an Annual General Meeting or a special meeting of the Federation
c. To purchase and acquire lands and/or buildings;
d. To sell, mortgage or dispose of land and/or buildings of the Jewish Federation.

A presentation was made to the community by Federation Past President Russ Joseph that outlined the basics of our plan. 

The following motion was put forward:
Be it resolved to dispose of the current site of the Jewish Community Centre by demolishing the current building, re-zoning and subdividing the property, developing the land into single family lots and then selling the lots to either builders or end-users.  Utilizing the funds that have been initially guaranteed to the Community, a suitable new site will be secured, an appropriate building will be designed and a new JCC will follow.

The motion was passed with 163 to 69 in favor of selling the JCC and relocating.

We are in the process of organizing the JCC Planning and Development Committee.Under this heading, there are 3 subcommittees:
1. Current Site Committee
2. Planning & Assessment (core services and needs assessments)
3. Future physical site (includes location and external facility)

The Board, at their September meeting, started to define JCC core business as follows:
• A JCC needs to be more than an office building. 
• A JCC needs to be a Jewish environment and a place for communal gathering
• A JCC must offer programs and conduct programs on site

The Board agreed that we need to consult the community to determine needs, wants and wishes.
 

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. Has the JCC been sold?

No, the JCC has not been sold.  On August 29, 2007, the community held a vote to determine: I F the JCC could be sold and IF we could rebuild a new facility elsewhere.  The community voted in favor of this.

2. Where will a new JCC be built?

We have not determined where the new JCC will be built. One option we are considering is the Talmud Torah site, but there are a number of steps we need to take to see if it is even feasible.

3. I heard a local developer already bought the property?

No, a local developer did not buy the property.  Mr. Irv Kipnes, a long-standing member of the community, has volunteered his time and experience to assist us with the development and sale of the current location and the building of a new JCC.  Mr. Kipnes has personally guaranteed $11 million dollars to assist with this venture.  Mr. Kipnes has also asked Jim Brown of Sherrick Management to volunteer his time and experience with this project. 

Neither Mr. Kipnes nor Mr Brown can financially benefit from this deal.  They are strictly helping as volunteers without any personal financial gain. 

4. Why this deal?

With Mr. Kipnes’s offer, we will be able to achieve a few goals:
• First, any other offer we had on the property was always contingent on a timeframe of payment.  This would not allow us money to rebuild without financing.  No other offer gave us this security.
• Second, Mr. Kipnes will be assisting us with developing the current JCC site so that its resale value will be higher than just selling raw land.
• Third, as part of our arrangement, we hope to see that a senior’s care facility is built.  This is a very important component of our long-term community planning.
• Fourth, although $11 million dollars is guaranteed, we believe that the value of the property could be significantly higher.

5. What will be in the new JCC?

The details of what will be in the new JCC have not been determined.  Part of the decisions will be based upon: 
What can we afford? 
   - What do we really need? 
   - What will enhance our Centre?
   - What does the community want?
There will be a number of consultations held to determine what a new JCC should, could and needs to have.

6. Who oversees costs of bringing the current site up to date?  Is there an open bidding process?

Yes, there will be an open bidding process.  The committee will be made up of Irv Kipnes, Sherrick Management, the President and Past President of the Federation and a few members of the community.