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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Columbia Association considering altering membership plans

      Our changing community demographics is having an impact on many of our community organizations.  Nowhere is this more dramatic than with the Columbia Association.  Our community of mostly young families is changing to a much more mature community.  How the Columbia Association will be impacted on the financial bottom line is something they will have to address.  Membership revenue could potentially decline unless they adapt to the new realities.  One way that CA is looking to adapt is with a new arrangement of membership plans.  Some parts of our mature community has concerns that the new plans may force them to pay more than the current membership options. The Board of CA will be hearing about the new Plan options at their Board meeting on Thursday April 14th at 7 p.m. at the CA Headquarters Boardroom, 6310 Hillside Court, Suite 100, Columbia, MD 21046.  Here is information from the Columbia Flyer:

  "New condensed membership options may be the way of the future for the Columbia Association’s recreation and fitness facilities, according to Communications and Marketing Director Norma Heim. However, some senior residents are questioning whether the costs of such packages might be too high. As Columbia’s 50th birthday approaches, CA officials are considering new avenues for its membership packages to help the community make decisions on which facilities best fits its needs, while offering more amenities within each membership, Heim said.

Current options range from fitness facilities, such as the Columbia Athletic Club and Columbia Gym, to recreational experiences at the ice rink, tennis and racquet courts, golf clubs and swimming centers.

According to CA’s initial concept, the new packages would include six different memberships, divided into areas of interest, including fitness, recreation, swimming and golfing.

“The membership program and options currently in place have been static for many years, and the community’s demographic makeup and its needs have changed,” Heim said."


P.S.
    Just a suggestion but maybe readjusting the programs offered by CA to reflect the aging population maybe the needed change to remain financially solvent more than a new plan of membership options.

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

I foresee that the new system might be able to help streamline membership in a way that may not be very beneficial for the club. You want people to come and see what else there is in storage besides their main point of interest.