BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Marc Ronney started as a soccer coach with the nonprofit Whatcom Sports and Recreation (WSR). Twenty years later he's the executive director, but his focus remains the same.
"It's really about the kids having a good time," Ronney said. "For us to be able to give back to these kids is fantastic."
The City of Bellingham owns the Sportsplex where Ronney serves those kids. It houses soccer fields and an ice rink. WSR runs the programs out of the Sportsplex.
About 5,000 people per week use the facility for after-school activities, as well as semi-pro soccer and junior hockey teams.
The complex is rundown and needs upgraded bleachers along with an expensive new roof. However, the city doesn't have the money for the upgrades.
"Without the roof getting repaired, it probably would just go away. It's to the point there are so many leaks it's like it's raining on you when you're inside,” Ronney explained.
WSR is now proposing to buy the Sportsplex from the city so it could use the facility as an asset to take out a loan to make the repairs. Ronney said a nonprofit can get the work done much cheaper than the city.
"What we can do as a nonprofit is we get a lot of help from the local community in terms of construction at a much-reduced price,” he said.
This week, the Bellingham City Council took one step toward the sale by declaring the building as surplus. But a selling price must still be determined.
WSR believes it would still need to raise about $2.5 million to make all the upgrades they want.