Community Guide 2017
An Epic Tale . . . The Journey to the San Geronimo Valley Community Gym and Loft Teen Center by Liza Crosse
after-school programming, appropriate staffing, and the promise of the Gym Committee’s ongoing support to fund programs and maintenance. The agreement is still the basis for the building’s management today. A Gym funding committee worked for literally years, chasing ever rising project costs, on a campaign that has no equal in the Valley’s history. Ultimately $4.1 million dol- lars was raised. Led by Andrew and Susi, we pursued every grant and contribution imaginable. Thanks to the foresight of Lagunitas School, we were kick-started by a state grant of nearly $1 million. Local hero, Gary Giacomini, at the time a board member of the Marin Community Founda- tion, was able to raise two grants from the Foundation for a total of $945,000, and then Supervisor Steve Kinsey facilitated $445,000 from the County of Marin. And hun- dreds of local residents came through, contributing checks large and small, and many grants came from private and family foundations. In spite of the fact that the project was only partially funded, the decision was made to build the project in phases, so that we wouldn’t lose the state funds. In the Fall of 2007, the construction began, and some of the project’s most outstanding leaders emerged. Phase 1, the site work, was a remarkable blend of volunteer work and contractors who donated much of their work. Mark Warner played a key role in the site work. Greystone West was the project manager, overseeing all construction. Then in Phase 2, the contractor Alten Construction built the primary structure. Phase 3, the finishing phase in 2008 and 2009 was led by contractor and life-long Valley resident Joe Brown and his company Brownco Construction and Development. Local contractors Jim Purkey, Tom Carmody, Rick Scar- borough, Eddie Joe Chavez, and Dominic Berardi played key roles. Marin-based companies like Good Earth Natural Foods, Waste Management, Dutra Materials and Big Four Rents made in-kind contributions. Phase 3 included another extraordinary outpouring of in-kind contributions, and doz- ens of people, small and large, turned up to finish the job, painting, cleaning, installing equipment, and more. Their con- tributions saved more than one-third of the project cost. Under Andrew and Susi Giacomini’s leadership fun- draising continued at a frantic pace in 2008 and 2009. An anonymous challenge grant came in, and more fund- ing from the Marin Community Foundation and Marin County arrived. There were periods where construction came to a halt. At these moments, the Gym Committee redoubled its efforts. In classic Valley style, some unique
Have you stopped by the Gym and Loft lately? Take a look one day, and be amazed. No doubt the facility will be buzzing with activity. The sound of bouncing balls, music, or young voices will fill your ears. The colors of beautiful tiles, a sparkling mosaic, or unique glass wall will dazzle your eyes. Wonder at the list of contributors on the “Wall of Fame,” and be struck with thankfulness for our unique community, and what we can do when we pull together. If we had known how hard it would be and how long it would take, we might never have started. Yet now that this amazing facility is built, and enjoyed by so many people every day, we’re so grateful that we did. The tale starts long ago, in the early 1960s, when the need for a gym in the Valley first was discussed. Then, in the early 1980s two groups formed to pursue a gym, and spent hours, even years, developing a vision for the Art Recreation Culture Complex, or ARCC, including designs for a beautiful gym complex. The wish for a gym next emerged in various planning documents in the 1990s, but it wasn’t until 2001 when a dynamic group of middle-school students submitted a peti- tion with 500 signatures supporting a gym, that the new Gym Committee was formed. Led by Andrew and Susi Giacomini, this steely-eyed group included John Beckerley, Denise Santa Cruz-Bohman, Dave Cort, Liza Crosse, Mike Davidson, Anne McClain, John Smithyman, Reede Stock- ton and Jasper Thelin. Uncounted hours were spent in planning. A first design by Lemanski and Rockwell Associates was adapted by Steve Kinsey, who created a revised design that included an upstairs Youth Center and Loft. Persinger Architects facilitated a community dialogue on the design and took the project to construction drawings. Lila Friday, Anne McClain and Denise Bohman focused on interior and exterior colors and worked with an Arts Committee, that included Kathy Sullivan and Marty and Bud Meade, who worked to fund and create the beautiful art which graces the building. A necessary but not very glamorous part of the project was the creation of a “Joint Use Agreement.” The Laguni- tas School District Board, the Gym Committee and the Community Center Board and staff worked many hours to ensure that the school’s needs were supported while also making the facility available for other community uses. The agreement spells out maintenance and funding respon- sibilities, and includes a commitment to well-managed
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SGVCC
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