(a) Consolidated vs. Specialized Facilities. There
are two basic categories of MSA and other community
facilities: consolidated and specialized (see figure
3 - 11). Specialized facilities are oriented to the needs
of single programs. Consolidated facilities - Community
Activity Centers - are designed `to accommodate multiple,
coordinated programs, and may include MSA functions
only, or MSA and other community activities.
Specialized facilities include both main facilities, which
serve the post-wide population, and branch facilities,
which serve geographical sub-areas and population sub-
groups of the post. In the past, such facilities have been
built as common community facilities and will continue to
be built for functions which do not readily consolidate, or
as parts of Main Post Center CAC building complexes
(for guidance on these specialized facilities, consult
Chapter 7 and the individual Design Guides referenced
there).
There are two types of consolidated Community Activity
Centers: Main Post Centers and Local Centers. Main
Post Centers are large Community Activity Centers which
serve as the focus for community life for the entire post,
acting as the post's "downtown." They accommodate all
or most of the major MSA, commercial and other com-
munity functions serving the whole post, including the
main exchange and commissary (see example, figure
3 - 12).
Local Centers are CAC's which primarily serve small
geographical areas and population groups of the post,
such as troop billeting areas, troop units, and family
housing areas. They provide a focus for the local com-
munity, within walking distance, and neighborhood-scale
leisure, commercial and service functions. Local Centers
vary in size and in the number of people served, depend-
ing on their service territory (see examples, figures
3 - 13 and 3 - 14). They can be programmed and
designed to serve only troops, only families, or both.
(b) Specialized vs. Non-Specialized Activities. Com-
munity Activity Centers are also distinguished by the
degree of specialized and non-specialized activities they
accommodate. Specialized activities are any activities
requiring staffing by program specialists, whether on a
full-time or part-time basis. Non-specialized activities
can be operated primarily by such staff as recreation
aides and technical assistants. The degree of specializa-
tion in an individual Community Activity Center may vary
widely.
Page 3-15
DG 1110-3-142
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