A Partnership Worthy of Encouragement : Expansion of Delhi Center Is First Public-Private Alliance of Its Kind in Santa Ana

Getting services into neighborhoods to bolster community life is one of the things local governments have the potential to do best, especially when done in partnership with others.

With public-private partnerships increasingly in vogue, the Delhi Community Center in Santa Ana has plans to replace existing leaky Quonset-hut facilities with a state-of-the art community facility across the street from the center in the expanded Delhi Park.

As the city’s largest community center, the operation would in fact represent the first public-private partnership of its kind in the city. It’s a project that should be encouraged enthusiastically, with an eye toward keeping public costs in line.

Operating out of the old facility, the center has provided services for 25 years, ranging from food distribution to AIDS care. Under the new arrangement, the city would contract with the private, nonprofit Delhi center to run the new community center, while city workers likely would manage the athletic programs at the expanded Delhi Park.

This year’s city budget includes $1.4 million for the center, and much more eventually will be needed, but there are plans to balance city contributions with grants and donations.

Along with the current funding from city, state and federal grants, there are plans to raise new sources of funds from profits from a concession stand in the expanded park. Delhi already receives some revenue by charging for some of its programs. Clearly, revenue from a concession stand may help, but, realistically, meeting the financial needs of the future likely will entail more such fees. Keeping them reasonable so that the center is able to fulfill the function of a true community center will be a challenge for all the partners in this interesting project.

Mobilizing all the community’s resources for a community facility will take skill, imagination, hard work and perhaps a bit of good luck.