Ely school officials are moving closer to a decision on how to spend a $5.25 million windfall to improve athletic facilities.
As soon as mid-August, school board members could act on a recommendation from its facilities committee to seek design work on a bevy of proposals to improve the district’s ice arena, football, baseball and softball fields as well as the high school gymnasium.
The proposal includes some potential alternates and as currently formulated, range in cost from $5.5 to $6.7 million.
But it seems certain that some of that list will be cut or less expensive options will be found, given the insistence by superintendent Anne Oelke - and board member Tony Colarich - that the school not spend “a dollar more” than the $5.25 million allocated by state lawmakers for the project.
School leaders cited the district’s ongoing budget woes to drive home the point that the facilities project must stay within budget, and Colarich asked Jason Chopp of engineering firm SEH what can be done to avoid costly change orders.
Chopp also indicated that current budget figures for the project are estimates, and that numbers would be more refined, and 20 percent contingency and “soft cost” set-asides could decrease as the project advances.
The current list, which evolved from more than a year of discussion, including input from stakeholders and review by the district’s facilities committee, includes:
• Ice Arena - Exterior building improvements to maintain the integrity of the facility as well as HVAC improvements and structural repairs. Estimated cost: $937,500 to $1,020,500;
• Football Field - Field improvements to include the grass surface as well as upgrades for track team practice, grandstand improvements including new seating and press box and accessibility upgrades. Estimated cost: $985,000 to $1,036,000;
• Baseball Field - Field improvements including leveling and new sod on the playing surface, grandstand improvements and replacing the first base bleacher area with a paved pavilion. Estimated cost: $811,000 to $890,500. Also included was a separate item for a standalone concession/restroom building that could be used for both softball and baseball, with an estimated cost of $750,000 to $1 million.
• Softball Field - Site and field improvements to include new sod, new fencing and a new scoreboard as well as bleacher replacement. Estimated cost: $351,000 to $381,000;
• Memorial Gymnasium - Lighting improvements, plaster repair and an acoustical ceiling. Estimated cost $188,000 to $218,000.
Oelke told the group that the hope was to “touch” all of the facilities, while acknowledging that funding may not be distributed equally, and that the list may result in disappointment.
Numerous other projects, including more substantive repairs to the ice arena, were put on a “future wish list.”
Others, including options for artificial turf at the football or baseball facilities, were set aside because of cost.
The effort stems from action in the Minnesota Legislature in 2024, which allocated $250,000 to be spent at Veterans Memorial Field - the baseball stadium on the school campus - as well as another $5 million to be for overall athletic facility needs.
Since then, district officials have met with local stakeholders, held their own conversations at the facility committee level and engaged representatives of SEH, an engineering firm.
At issue are needs that far exceed the funding available.
In late-2024, SEH conducted an athletic facilities needs assessment that identified over $15 million in potential or recommended improvements to Ely school athletic facilities.
But at least for now, the district only has $5.25 million in available funds to address those proposals.
SEH did an extensive review of the district’s football, baseball and softball fields, the gymnasium and ice arena, as well as the weight room and old locker room inside the Memorial Building.
SEH provided conceptual plans in a better than 30-page document with a total estimated cost for all improvements ranging from $15.4 to $17.2 million, covering site improvements, exterior and interior improvements, HVAC upgrades and structural repairs.
Discussion Monday involved audience participation at times and questions about the viability of various athletic programs, particularly football and hockey.
Questions also arose over the potential relocation of the hockey program to Babbitt instead of investing additional resources into the Ely rink.
Oelke also used the discussion to clarify some misconceptions about the district’s costs in maintaining the hockey arena.
Taxes levied to fund maintenance costs for the arena can only be levied for that purpose, and the elimination of those expenditures would not free up any additional funds to support district operations.
Oelke also noted that the $5.25 million allocation for athletic facilities can only be used for that purpose.
School board members are likely to vote sometime in August on the proposal, which would trigger more in-depth design and a project that could go to bids during the winter.
