GRAIN VALLEY, MO — On April 8, Grain Valley voters will be asked to approve a new community center and city hall.
The ballot language reads, “Shall the City of Grain Valley, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount of $24,600,000 for the purpose of site development and the acquiring, constructing, improving, furnishing, and equipping of a new municipal complex, to include a city hall and a community center?”
If approved, the city’s tax levy would not increase, and the project would be fully funded by bonds.
The current facilities were built in the early 2000s. Since then, city administrator Ken Murphy said the city’s population has tripled to nearly 17,000 people — projecting it to reach 36,000 in the next 25 years. Murphy said growth is one reason why the city feels a new, larger building is needed.
If voters approve the bond issue, the new community center and city hallwould be built on city-owned land at the northwest corner of Buckner Tarsney and Sni-A-Bar Roads
The city held a citizen focus group ahead of the project planning to decide what is needed. The community center would include a larger gymnasium space, and increase the amount of courts available. There would also be an indoor track, expanded fitness areas, a child care center and larger meeting spaces.
“One of the biggest things with this is we're not really pushing this as a recreation center. This is a community center. So it's not something to where it's just sports related. If people are coming to the facility, they're coming here because it's a community spot,” said Shannon Davies, the city’s parks and recreation director.
One feature not included in this bond issue is a new aquatic center. Murphy said the citizens’ focus group said that it is a needed feature, but the city decided to hold off for now due to cost and to see how Blue Springs’ new pool does.
“Just the idea was we were not going to ask for an increase to the levy, so working within the amount that we could do without increasing that Levy, all three phases, you know, the community center, City Hall and Aquatic Center, couldn't be done,” said Murphy.
Murphy said the city’s Board of Aldermen previously directed staff and a design group to look at renovating city hall after the police department moved out. Still, it was ultimately decided it would not be doable within a reasonable cost.
“In this current building, obviously we still have, you know, the jail, we have locker rooms and things like that, that were more focused towards the police department, that there's not a need for with city staff. So essentially, there's square footage that's just not usable, even from a mechanical system perspective. We have two of everything to run each half of the building,” said Murphy.
This is the city’s second attempt. The first was in April 2020 for $23.5M in bonds to build a complex that would house a city hall, police building, municipal court and community center. Voters denied with a 64% no vote. Since then, the city has built a new police building.
The last day to register as a Missouri voter for this election is March 12. Election Day is April 8. A sample ballotcan be viewed here.
KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
