heard something about PARC or the millage vote?

Check this page first!

Q: Is PARC a for-profit business? Or a government entity?

A: Neither. It's a 501(c)3 non-profit public charity. It leases the space from the current owner, the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools. Community-minded donors have been paying down the purchase of the former school building and grounds over the past three years. The PARC non-profit operates the facility, renting former classrooms and other space to arts, education and recreation organizations, and overseeing use of the performance, recreation and meeting space.

To see the annual Form 990 filings that the PARC nonprofit has filed with the IRS, detailing its budget and expenditures, visit this page in the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

Q: Will the old Central Middle School (former Plymouth High School) be torn down?

A: NOT IF ENOUGH PEOPLE VOTE "YES!" The passage of the millage may be the only way to preserve the building, and the entire 16.5-acre historic property it sits on! The money that the millage will bring in will pay for much-needed improvements to the 100-year-old building, as well as infrastructure improvements for the entire site, AND the construction of a modern new performing arts center.

See a list of proposed enhancements to the current building on the bottom of our page PARC's Future.

Q: Who will own, run and fund PARC if the millage passes?

A: It will become public property, under nonprofit management. The owners will donate it to the Plymouth Area Recreation Authority (PARA), which has been formed by the city and township. PARA will receive the dollars generated by the millage to renovate the existing school facility and build the 800-seat performing arts center. PARA will enter into a 20-year contract with PARC to operate the current facility and the performing arts center. PARC, as a nonprofit, will also be able to receive donations and seek foundation grants to further fund the complex. Any donations or grants over $1 million will be given to PARA, to be used on the capital projects at the PARC facility - and PARA could reduce the amount taxpayers pay as a result of them.

Q: Isn't PARC mostly an arts place? Classical music and painting aren't my thing.

A: Not at all! PARC has a broad range of offerings for all ages. See a list here! Similarly, the performing arts center will be available for many types of performing arts.

Q: Is the new Plymouth Area Recreation Authority now in charge of all recreation programming in both the city and the township?

A: No. PARA was formed by the city and township solely for the PARC project. The elected leaders of each municipality appointed the initial members to PARA; four from the township and three from the city. Future members will be elected starting in 2020.

Q: Will PARC crunch parking in downtown Plymouth even further, or make traffic worse?

A: No. The site is large enough to allow for a parking lot with a total of 525 spaces, up from the current 260. The new PARC parking lot will be continuous with the parking lot of the city-owned Cultural Center and Ice Arena, which has another 250 spaces. So there should be ample parking even during peak times, when PARC has several events and the Cultural Center is also busy. Parking attendants will help guide traffic into and within the parking lots. In fact, the new facility may help ease Plymouth's parking shortage on busy weekend nights.

As for traffic, the PARC facility has multiple entrance/exit points, and will have more if the proposed parking lot is built and connected to the Cultural Center lot. At most, the two lots would hold 775 cars on days or evenings when multiple events are happening at PARC, or at PARC and the Cultural Center. By comparison, thousands of people come to outdoor concerts in downtown Plymouth every Friday night in the summer.

Q: Isn't such a large performing arts center a risk? What if projections for its use fall short?

A: Not likely. Numerous performing groups, from orchestras to dance troupes to theater and opera companies, have already inquired about using the center if it is funded and built. Many of them have to seek performing space as far away as Saline, or have to limit their programming to fit the available space. (For instance, not being able to do certain types of shows.) Even the Village Theater in Canton, which is owned by Canton Township, is too small for many potential events. A new center will serve this need for a larger space, according to an independent analysis.

Q: Why can't Plymouth build something like Canton's Summit on the Park or Livonia's Civic Center?

A: Those facilities were built using taxpayer funds, and the cost of their ongoing operations is paid by taxpayers in those communities every year. Plymouth community leadership indicated that such a project would not be feasible for our community, but did support creation of the PARA board in order to put forward the millage for this year's vote.

If passed, this would allow for the continued use of the existing building and the construction of the new performing arts center, with no ongoing taxpayer support beyond the millage.

Q: Will the performing arts center be for-profit?

A: No. In fact, the independent analysis shows that its non-profit status will be critical for the financial viability needed to keep both the new and existing PARC facilities going for the long term. As a non-profit, it will have lower overhead costs than a commercial or government center.

Q: I've seen claims that this will raise my taxes 50 percent or cost $40 million. What's true?

A: There are some false numbers floating around. If you live in Plymouth Township, your tax rate is currently 31.154 mills per $1,000 of taxable value. If you live in the City of Plymouth, your tax rate is 43.1007 mills. If the PARC measure passes, you will see your rate rise by up to 0.75 mills, and this amount could be reduced by the Plymouth Area Recreation Authority over time. By comparison, all Plymouth property owners current pay 1.46 mills for the Plymouth District Library. You can see a comparison of current tax rates for both Plymouth municipalities, and others nearby, here. (This page also includes a breakdown of what Township residents' taxes pay for. To see the same breakdown for City residents, visit this page.)

If the millage is levied at the maximum rate of 0.75 mills for the maximum term of 20 years, it will bring in enough money to pay for the entire $30 million capital project at the PARC facility. That includes a $7 million renovation of the current building (windows, lighting, HVAC, plumbing, upgrades to the gym, pool & existing theater and more), $8 million for needed improvements to antiquated infrastructure at the site including utilities and parking, and $15 million to build a new performing arts center with an 800-seat theater to meet regional demand for performance space.

The nonprofit PARC organization would continue to seek donations and grants to support specific projects and programs, but any gift or grant over $1 million would have to be turned over to PARA to be used on the capital project. The nonprofit PARC organization would operate the current and new buildings under contract with PARA, and be responsible for bringing in enough funds to cover all operating costs. Taxpayers would not pay any ongoing taxes to support operations, unlike the situation in other municipalities that have built arts and recreation facilities.

Q: Will PARC have to close if the millage doesn't pass?

A: The long-term financial sustainability of PARC will be in serious jeopardy if the millage does not pass. The ultimate decision will rest with the owners, which will be the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan. (The donors who saved the building have donated their option to buy the facility after the final payment is made in January 2019 to the Community Foundation.) But without substantial investment the current facility will not be financially viable. And the Community Foundation is not in the business of being a landlord or property owner. They would have to determine how to dispose of the property. This might include selling the property; in which case they would be required to distribute the proceeds to various charities. The building would likely sit empty until a developer is secured and goes through the process with the City to put development plans, financing and approvals together. Given the history with Bathey, Daisy, Starkweather, Saxton’s, and Mayflower developments this could be a 10 year process. In the meantime, the PARC complex cannot continue in its present state. Its future would be extremely uncertain.

Q: Doesn't our area already have enough arts and recreation opportunities?

A: No - an independent analysis shows that the unique nature of PARC fills an unmet need. In addition to the 800-seat performing arts center, the existing theater in the current building would be renovated into a 175-seat performance space. Plus, PARC is more centrally located, closer to highways, restaurants and shops, and with more parking, than other performing arts spaces. So people could make an evening, or even a day, of coming to Plymouth to attend a show, game or event at PARC.

There is also a recognized shortage of pool and gymnasium availability, and office space for nonprofit organizations.

Q: Isn't the support for the PARC millage mostly from parents with kids?

A: No. While families are a crucial part of PARC's support, the millage has received endorsement or support from the Chamber of Commerce, Realtors and others in the business community. They understand the importance of a vibrant community, with diverse opportunities for all ages, to the ongoing success of the Plymouth community. Plus, PARC's diverse offerings mean that adults of all ages, with or without kids, can find something to enjoy, learn and discover there.

Q: What if the economy goes south again?

A: PARC's nonprofit status will ensure that costs are kept as low as possible, and it will maintain a reserve to cover operating costs in case of downturns. The presence of PARC in Plymouth could help "recession-proof" our local area even more than it already is, and help improve property values in the area.

Q: Is there an asbestos problem in the building?

A: Those opposed to the passage of the millage raised this question, and also apparently engaged in harassing behavior by calling two state agencies and Channel 4 about it, leading to unannounced visits by all three. Both state agency inspectors (DEQ and MIOSHA) left with verbal statements that they found no issues, but the formal reports will not be ready until after Election Day and the PARC nonprofit is providing all required documents.

Like all older buildings, there is some limited amount of asbestos in the PARC building, but it is not a hazard unless it is disturbed. The PARC organization has stated: "It has been well-documented, remediation costs considered and will be dealt with as appropriate during renovations. To suggest that some hazardous condition exists today is completely false and absurd. The two recent inspections prove that. We have a Certificate of Occupancy from the City and have passed all building code requirements."