Alignment
Valley Community Center Partners formally organized to solve a problem in Washington County.
Washington County underperforms both state and national benchmarks for health and wellness; the county simply doesn’t have enough facilities. Residents have below-average access to exercise opportunities, fewer recreation facilities per capita than state and national benchmarks, and clear geographic disparities in resource distribution, particularly in lower-density areas like Lake Elmo.
There is a system-wide shortage or uneven distribution of facilities. A recreation center would directly improve this metric by expanding access.
Combined with rising concerns about physical inactivity, obesity, and chronic disease, these findings demonstrate a clear need for expanded, local, year-round recreation infrastructure such as a community recreation center.
Washington County’s 2025 Community Survey features top health concerns from the general public including obesity and mental health.
The 2024 Community Health Assessment points to several needs and shows Lake Elmo’s rapid population growth, increasing recreation demand, and reliance on outdoor-only amenities, combined with county health and planning goals emphasizing access to active living, demonstrate a clear need for a year-round community recreation center to serve residents of all ages.
The 2024 Community Context Assessment features themes around building community conversations, including Community Safety, the need for safe community gathering spaces, and mental health supports.
The 2025 Community Health Improvement Plan states the four priorities are: Access to Health Care, Transportation, Housing, and Mental Health/Community Safety.
Of particular note, the Mental Health Action Plan (page 26) calls out fostering opportunities for people across the life span to build and leverage protective factors that benefit mental health.
Minnesota Student Survey data which was last analyzed in 2022 (new data forthcoming from the 2025 survey this summer) report shows that only about 40% of high school students in Washington County meet recommended physical activity levels, with participation declining significantly as youth age.
This indicates a lack of accessible, age-appropriate opportunities for sustained physical activity. A community recreation center would directly address this gap by providing year-round, structured, and socially engaging spaces that support adolescent physical and mental well-being.
A Healthier Place to Live for Generations to Come
We are championing a vision for a multi-generational, public community hub accessible to all. A place in the heart of the St. Croix Valley where people of all ages can gather, connect, learn, play, and belong.
We believe (and studies prove!) these connections are the foundation of a thriving community.
Research shows:
Access to recreation resources tighten interpersonal relationships, improves mental health, relieves stress, and helps reduce obesity and chronic disease. National Recreation and Parks Association
Especially in smaller communities, investments in quality of life assets including recreation opportunities are major contributors to healthy local economies, sustained population growth, and low unemployment. The Brookings Institute, “Improving quality of life – not just business – is the best path to Midwestern rejuvenation.”
Eighty-five percent of people consider access to parks, open spaces, and recreation centers an important factor in determining where to live. Urban Land Institute, “The Case for Open Space”
Accessible “third spaces” – neither homes nor business, but places that encourage interaction between people – spur innovation and creativity. MIT Library, “Spatial qualities of innovation districts”