FAQ

The Valley Community Center is at a pivotal moment in realizing its vision of a community-focused recreation center serving Stillwater, Lake Elmo, Bayport, and Oak Park Heights. We are ready to take critical next steps but need additional expertise and organizational infrastructure to move from concept to construction.

We are actively fundraising to build capacity funding to advance this vision by strengthening communications, securing a physical location, formalizing partnerships, and ensuring equity and belonging remain central to the mission.

A tremendous amount of predevelopment work has been accomplished by the VCC Board in the last two years including:

• Testing of community needs through surveys, community meetings, and externally facilitated demographic and market analyses

• Concept refinement through site visits of peer facilities and preliminary architectural work

• Site analysis and preliminary testing/selection

• Meetings with city council members, mayors, government officials, school district leaders, and county and state leaders to understand needs and maximize alignment with existing development priorities

• Ongoing community engagement with a growing list of supporters

• Organizational development, including board recruitment, preliminary staffing, and the integration of consultant expertise as appropriate

• In addition to Ballard*King, we are collaborating with the following consultants on this initiative: Hamilton & Associates, Square Loop Planning, Wendy Holmes Consulting and Bigger Picture Solutions.

The Valley Community Center hopes to break ground in the next two years. Learn more about our plans here.

After considering many potential site options in the central St. Croix River Valley, Valley Community Center Partners is evaluating a site downtown Lake Elmo at Lake Elmo Ave N. and Stillwater Blvd.

As of November, 2025 the Stillwater Area Public School District has entered into an agreement to sell the current Lake Elmo Elementary School site, located at 11030 Stillwater Blvd N, to Valley Community Center Partners, Inc. (VCCP). The sale includes the building and approximately 12.86 acres of land.

VCCP will have a 210-day due-diligence period to review title, survey, environmental, soil, and feasibility considerations. The closing is scheduled for December 1, 2026, or earlier by mutual agreement. The agreement allows the district to finish out the current school year before moving into the new Lake Elmo Elementary building over the summer. The new school, which is currently under construction at the corner of 10th Street and Lake Elmo Avenue, will open next fall.

This central location will serve the diverse population of eastern Washington County and the St. Croix Valley region.

Within a 15-minute drive of our anticipated location, there are 63,273 households and a population of 179,909.

Join our volunteer committee! We always need volunteers to help spread the word and help our team make this vision a reality.

Contact us for opportunities.

You may wish to serve on the Board of Directors. Please learn more about applying here.

We are looking at all funding options and opportunities. Our goal is to find a solution that does not increase taxes, but provides the community with this vital service.

Formalizing our capital and operating partnerships with municipal and other governmental partners is our next step, and we have engaged Hamilton & Associates for our campaign feasibility study.

According to Washington County’s Community Needs Status Report (2024), 34% of respondents had not engaged in exercise in 30 days. Physical activity was identified as one of five high-priority needs in the Community Health Needs Assessment conducted by HealthPartners.

As cited in the 2025 Lakeview Hospital Implementation Plan to address this finding, access to physical activity spaces will improve mental health and well-being of youth and families by providing whole-person wellness in a community model.

To envision the right community center for the St. Croix Valley, the VCC has combined extensive third-party market and demographic analysis coupled with stakeholder meetings, surveys, and numerous well-attended community engagement activities.  Our research has identified:

• High demand for accessible indoor recreational activities, aquatic center, and fitness opportunities.

• The desire for a centralized gathering spot for people of all ages & abilities to connect.

• An absence of affordable, accessible community facilities for underserved populations, including seniors and lower-income families.