Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika L. Binger.
Hi Erika, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
We started our quest/mission to develop the V3 Center after spending several years working with youth in North Minneapolis and recognizing the need for a year-round place for them to meet, train and grow together. In our initial program we coached youth in the sport of triathlon (swim, bike, run) and we utilized the parks in our community for running and biking but struggled to find adequate training in our neighborhood for the aquatic component. We were fortunate to partner with the University of Minnesota for training but it was challenging due to travel time, parking, and events, so we pivoted and utilized a local outdoor pool and the lakes – both were dependent upon ideal weather conditions. Over the course of several years (running the program from April-September), we realized the positive impact our program was having with our youth and parents and wanted to offer it to more individuals year-round, in our community.
We purchased property at the corner of Plymouth and Lyndale Avenues (the gateway to North Minneapolis) and have been working on fundraising to develop a Center that prioritizes equity – in employment, opportunity, and health and wellness. The impetus for the development of the V3 Center was due to a need and has grown to help solve disparities on many levels. We recognized that while our athletes excelled on the local and national level, their greatest accomplishments were completing high school on time and pursuing post-secondary education so we wanted to create a pathway for others to as well. We evolved from a youth program utilizing the discipline and motivation of triathlon to include programs and mentorship in education, nutrition, goal setting, leadership, and healthy lifestyles. We focused on the three disciplines of triathlon and incorporated 1) community, 2) character, 3) commitment and 1) life, 2) learning and 3) leadership into all our activities (that’s where the 3 in V3 comes from). I’m proud to say many of our former athletes are currently giving back and serving communities throughout the world as educators and community leaders. In fact, two of our former V3 triathletes are members of our current V3 Board and are helping us connect with the younger members of our community for the V3 Center.
Our Center will be in North Minneapolis – an often under-resourced, neglected part of our city, with some of the most concentrated numbers of youth (34%), lowest rate of home-ownership, highest levels of poverty, and disproportionate investment – to shift the paradigm with our hard-working partners by providing health, wellness, equity, and opportunity through fitness, water safety, education, and economic impact. The first phase of our Center will include an instructional pool to provide swimming instruction to members in our community (saving lives); integrated STEAM programming to expose and engage youth in the production of events, marketing, water filtration/mechanics, media production, employment opportunities; dedicated fitness spaces and a yoga studio for members to use as well as be trained as instructors; a cafeteria and retail space for entrepreneurs; drop-in childcare; and meeting spaces. Phase two will include the installation of the 50 meter Olympic Trials pool, four multi-purpose courts (both of which can be used to host events); running/biking tracks; event/donor lounge; multi-purpose space; and additional locker rooms.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Any vision takes a while to gain traction and this is no different. We lost momentum (similar to others) when Covid hit and worked diligently to get back in sync. While many people/organizations/potential donors/partners continue to express interest and endorsement of the vision, it has been challenging to raise the funds, but the murder of George Floyd highlighted many of the systemic challenges we are addressing. We have been truly humbled by the support and momentum we’ve gained recently, with a couple of major donations as well as generous, grassroots fundraising we’ve accomplished, many of which are matched by some of our larger donors.
V3 Sports, Inc. is teaching youth and adults to conquer their fear of water, mentoring teens as they develop life skills through athletic training, and bringing communities together through health and wellness. We will fill a void in our community by integrating a comprehensive health and wellness center that includes water safety, academic instruction, financial literacy, mentoring, and job training. It will be a community hub offering a vast array of programs, services, and meeting spaces for the residents of North Minneapolis and its surrounding neighborhoods that currently do not exist. People of all ages and abilities are welcome, but we will ensure North Minneapolis residents have priority. Access to the V3 Center and its programs will be offered on a sliding scale to residents of North Minneapolis. A scholarship fund will also be developed to ensure access to those who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to participate. V3 is building partnerships with North, Henry, and Edison High Schools to offer our facility as the primary training pool(s) for their swim teams.
In terms of geographic accessibility, the V3 Center site, on the corner of Plymouth and Lyndale, is highly visible from Interstate 94 and Downtown Minneapolis and is already home to a bus stop serviced by several popular Metro Transit bus lines. It is also .5 miles away from the Mississippi River, one mile from Theodore Wirth Park, and just 25 minutes from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.
The Center will not only provide the community with invaluable gathering spaces and a world-class pool for swimming lessons and competition, but it’ll also bring jobs to the community. It will be a North Minneapolis asset and a regional destination, accelerating development in the inner-core and creating economic impact.
The other truly unique aspect of our project is it will be designed and built by folks from North Minneapolis. Our architect, Keon Blasingame, grew up in North Minneapolis and works for the largest black-owned firm in the Midwest. Keon and our team have worked with members of our community, young and old, to bring our vision to life to ensure that it fits in with the fabric of Northside and serves as many people as possible.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We welcome the opportunity for anyone to visit our site, learn more about our work and how they can contribute (financially, corporately, partnering, etc.). We also can’t thank the community that has rallied behind us enough! We’ve hosted lawmakers and neighbors and continue to be humbled by the outpouring of support as we seek to engage even more input and support for the V3 Center.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@v3sports.org
- Website: www.v3sports.org
- Instagram: v3_sports
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/V3Sports3
- Twitter: V3Center and V3Sports3
Image Credits
Molly Miles
