A 92,000 square foot community center funded by Ray and Joan Kroc is being built off of Bill Frey Road in NE Salem.

A few years ago Joan Kroc helped build a community center in San Diego. After her death she left the Salvation Army 1.5 billion dollars.
That money was divided equally to four different regions to build community centers. Salem was one of those regions.

One condition was that for every construction dollar they receive they get an equal dollar that goes towards operations.

The total construction cost for the Salem center will be an estimated 40 million dollars so they will have 40 million to help operate once it opens in September 2009.

According to Randy Curtis, the project director for the Salem site, they have raised additional money to help with operation costs.

The Salem Kroc Community Center will be a state of the art aquatic and fitness center.

There will be an Olympic-size 10-lane swimming pool with 21- meter diving boards.

"We designed it so we can get a lot of multiple uses out of it, the school district and some of the private swim clubs will want to use it for competitions," Curtis said.

Curtis also said that the Red Cross can use the pool for First Aid classes and that the pool is even deep enough for SCUBA classes to be held there.

"It is really a multiple use pool that accommodates many activities," he said.

Along with the main pool there will also be a family recreation pool.

According to Curtis this area will have a lazy river that will have a current that people can walk against for therapy with injuries or jump on inter tubes and ride with.

There will also be a water slide, a tidal pool, a hot tub and a rock climbing wall.

In addition to the aquatic area the facility will also house two party rooms, a kitchen, a conference room and a chapel.

According to Curtis this facility will open up several new jobs opportunities. These positions will not be available for application until after October of this year.