Center Depends on Lottery-Like Drawing

The community’s efforts to build a gymnasium and community center now rest on the results of a special lottery-like drawing in Sacramento on Friday.

After raising $1 million, project backers must now see if state education officials draw El Rio’s name from among 40 to 50 entries statewide at a 9:30 a.m. ceremony.

More than half of the entries will be funded, said Ventura County Supervisor John Flynn.

“It’s better than a horse race,” he said. “There are $35 million worth of projects competing, and there is $25 million in funding.”

The 12,500-square-foot El Rio project--a joint proposal by Ventura County and the Rio School District--would cost $1.8 million. About $1 million has been raised through county efforts, Flynn said, and the school’s $800,000 share would come through Friday’s drawing.

To qualify for the drawing, projects had to be proposed jointly by schools and communities, with local government and schools both providing money.

The merits of the projects were not considered by the School Construction Office of the State Department of Education, which would provide the $800,000, Flynn said.

The El Rio center, planned since 1974, would be built at Rio del Valle Junior High School at 3100 Rose Ave. It would include a gym, community room and office that could be used by public health workers, Flynn said.

It would be used for Rio del Valle physical education classes during the day and community adult and youth programs evenings and weekends. The only gym in El Rio now is at Rio Mesa High School.

The lottery approach to funding worthy school projects was implemented when state officials discovered they had more qualifying projects than funds.

“I think this is the first time in history we have had this government by lottery approach,” Flynn said. “But those who control the dollars control the rules.”