The Center for Strategic Ministry (CSM) is the recommended operator of the Westside Community Center after a robust request for proposal (RFP) process. The RFP evaluation committee determined the CSM proposal best met the goal of providing a vibrant and financially viable community center that offers substantial and sustained benefits to Colorado Springs residents. The committee included Westside community residents and representatives from the City’s Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services department.
“The proposals we received were rated using a number of criteria, including project approach and proposed programming,” said Kim King, recreation and administration manager. “The CSM will continue operations under its current contract into the first quarter of 2022 to ensure there is no interruption of services while the new operational agreement is finalized.”
As stated in the RFP, the city’s goals include:
- To secure a financially stable entity that will effectively manage, operate and maintain the Westside Community Center
- To ensure the center supports and fosters activities that will provide beneficial services to the westside neighborhood as well as the community as a whole
- To reduce the level of maintenance and capital demands upon the city by supporting maintenance and capital improvement efforts for the facility.
The Center for Strategic Ministry, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, currently operates the facility, however, the current agreement expires on December 31, 2021. The City first issued an RFP seeking a new operator in November 2020, announcing on July 2, 2021 that it had been unsuccessful in coming to a mutual agreement with its top applicants. Since the first RFP was released, the city has set aside $1.375 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding toward prioritized capital improvements.