Expansion Plans
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The Expansion Plan For The Finnish Center at Saima Park The following is a brief, interim, description of our expansion plan. We will also introduce you to our upcoming fund raising campaign. A full, soon to be completed, description of the Finnish Center's goals for the planned building will better define our fund raising outreach. The prospective donators will learn of the projects underlying philosophy, historical background, potential benefits for the local and national Finnish community and our resolve to see the job through. This will be accomplished by way of a fund raising brochure and, where possible, personal contact. The recent combining (unification) of The Finnish Cultural Center, The Finnish American club of Saima and The Finnish Ski Club as a single organization, The Finnish Center at Saima Park, provided the impetus for the planned expansion. The building of a true Finnish Center that will represent and strengthen our traditional ethnic activities and values as well as forming a valuable resource and historical research facility will be a big challenge and, in the end, a dream come true. Turning now to the building construction plan. After many false starts a realizable plan has been settled on. We will simply add on to the present meeting hall three separate additions described here. The showpiece of the project will be the resource library and artifact area which is to be located just to the left of the main entrance. Careful (tasteful) design of the entrance interface with this addition will set an inspiring tone. As a resource library it will have adequate shelving volume, a reading area, space for displays and a small office. Computerized tabulation of all reference material is planned. The computers will be located adjacent to the reading room for all to use. Photographic records including donated and existing historical prints and albums will be available for visitors to view and obtain, through the curator, digitally copied (scanned) and printed examples for their research as well as nostalgic value. We expect this resource will also be used by people of many ethnic backgrounds involved in scholarly work related to studying cultures of the world. Access to this facility will be from both the lobby and main hall. The second addition is a full-width extension of the main building on the side entrance end. This space will provide a long overdue storage and work space for the many items related to internal activities, such as display stands and frames, ballet equipment, presentation paraphernalia, as well as a small ski waxing area. New library acquisitions (artifacts) being temporarily staged, sorted and prepared for display will be housed, separately, in this addition as well. A new side entrance will be incorporated into this addition. Finally, a third addition, located about midway along the west wall, will house the sports facility. This addition will fill a long time need for a complete, traditional style, center for our sports programs. The newly developed and expanding night skiing area as well as our weekend racing schedule give further impetus for this facilities construction. Other skiing program activities include high school championship trials, the local and regional senior games and citizens races. Although cross country skiing is currently our most successful activity we see a strong reason to reinvigorate the track and field side of our heritage with a return to our Wednesday evening summer race / training program. The addition will contain changing bench areas, saunas, showers and some wall space for bulletin boards, information packets and the like. A small deck is planned which will surround the addition's perimeter. Details of the fund raising brochure such as the mailing date and ways you can get a copy will appear here soon. It appears, finally, that the expansion project may soon be underway.
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