Willamette Activity Center: Operational and Expense Framework

Abstract

In Fall 2024, the City of Oakridge partnered with the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) and the Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) to reimagine the future of the Willamette Activity Center (WAC). This collaborative initiative emerged in response to the WAC’s closure in 2022 due to deferred maintenance issues, including a failing roof and outdated electrical systems. Once a cornerstone of community life, the WAC is now poised for a new chapter as a designated Resilience Hub, one of six regional hubs in Lane County’s disaster response network.

To support this transition, a Capstone team of graduate students from the University of Oregon was tasked with a six-month applied research project to inform the WAC’s long-term reopening and financial sustainability. The team’s deliverables included: - A User Needs Assessment based on stakeholder interviews - An Operational Expense Model and Budget informed by case studies and site visits - A Fundraising Strategy designed to support phased redevelopment and ensure future viability

The WAC, originally constructed as an elementary school, spans approximately 26,610 sq. ft. and consists of a gymnasium, multiple classrooms, offices, a courtroom/conference room, and shared common spaces. These spaces historically hosted social service providers such as the Oakridge Food Box, Women’s Space, and Senior and Disabled Services; government agencies such as the Lane County Circuit Court, Department of Motor Vehicles, and City of Oakridge Council meeting; and youth services such as Head Start and Latch Key. Notably, the WAC Fundraising Group and the City of Oakridge have been awarded $6.4million in federal, state, and philanthropic funding to support current and future renovation phases, with goals to reopen the facility in 2028.