Ashland Wellness and Aquatic Project

The Ashland Community Development Corporation (ACDC) was approached to explore the feasibility of a new community center for Ashland and received a generous donation to begin the process. From there, a multi-phase, community-driven effort began.

ACDC launched Phase I with a 30-member committee representing a broad cross-section of the community. This group helped shape the initial vision and identify the core needs for a modern community and wellness facility.

To support this work, JEO assisted with organizing a community-wide survey to better understand local priorities. Survey results highlighted a strong desire for:

• Expanded recreation space
   
• Tenant and partner space
   
• Open courts and gym space
   
• An indoor recreation pool
   
• Additional community gathering areas
   

An administrative committee of nine members was then formed based on the priorities identified in the survey. This group focused on one of the most important goals: ensuring the proposed facility could fund itself or operate as close to net-zero as possible.

During this phase, the committee also worked with MCL, who provided valuable guidance and recommended bringing Rainwood Development onto the project team. Rainwood helped further organize the process and establish a clear timeline to convert community needs into specific priorities.

In Phase II, the project team refined the community’s needs into nine focus areas, or “silos,” that now guide the planning and design process. These silos allow for deeper exploration of programming, partnerships, and revenue models to ensure the facility is both functional and financially sustainable.