It’s time to resume talks about constructing an activities building in Iola, Doug Desmarteau declared this week.
Desmarteau, athletics director at Allen Community College, told the school’s trustees Tuesday that he is eager to see discussions about a facility back on the public’s radar.
About six years ago, college officials were part of several community discussions to gauge interest in an activities building large enough to allow multiple athletic teams to host practices simultaneously, with a weight room and other facilities.
The centerpiece would be a competition-size running track, large enough to host indoor meets.
Alas, those discussions came to a screeching halt in the spring of 2020, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But while the discussions went away, the college’s need for a new venue remains unchanged, Desmarteau said. “I’ve never really let the dream go.”
“We need something bigger” than the current activities building, he said. “We’ve outgrown our office space, our weight room and our training rooms.”
Desmarteau noted the price tag for such a facility has grown substantially as well.
The facility discussed pre-COVID was about $12 million.
An identical structure today would likely eclipse the $20 million mark, Desmarteau said.
“In today’s political and financial climate, I don’t know if we can afford to do this,” Trustee Vicki Curry replied, but still noted that such a complex “would be a great facility for the community and the college.”
Desmarteau, however, remained bullish, agreeing with Curry’s suggestion that a phased project would likely be more palatable to the community.
“There are a lot of avenues,” Desmarteau said, pointing to Pittsburg State University and Missouri Southern State University — which house the closest such indoor competitions venues. Both were half-funded with grants.
Allen’s facility could be completed in phases, Desmarteau continued.
“We’re not looking for a Taj Mahal,” he said. “We just need a metal building with turf.”
Desmarteau noted the earlier community talks included a building with an indoor pool.
