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BYU area proposes new recreation center
By Brandon Dabling
The Daily Universe (BYU)
05/29/2007

(U-WIRE) PROVO, Utah — Provo, Utah, may get a new recreation center in the near future.

Mayor Lewis Billings' proposed 2007-2008 fiscal year budget includes $1 million in seed money that will be used to research the logistics of a new recreation center, purchase property for the center and handle other upfront costs.

"We only have one time to build this thing," said Roger Thomas, the director of Provo City parks and recreation. "We want to get the background [information] to do this right."

The proposal for a new center comes at a time when the current recreation center is struggling to keep up with Provo's booming population.

"Needless to say, the current facility is outdated," Thomas said. "There were only 50,000 residents when the center was built. Now we have between 115,000 and 120,000, and the facility isn't meeting the needs of those people."

The new center would offer new amenities including aquatic facilities such as a leisure pool with zero depth entries, spray features, water slides and a water current. It would also include traditional lanes for lap swimming, Thomas said.

The proposed facility would include a large weight room with cardiovascular equipment, gymnasiums, a climbing wall and an indoor walking track.

Provo citizens have been the major driving force behind the proposed recreational center, Thomas said.

"We are getting a lot of feedback from people saying 'How come Provo doesn't have [a new facility]?'" Thomas said. "We have a lot of health-oriented people in this community who see that the current facility doesn't fit their needs. This center would do that."

While the seed money for the center has not officially been approved by the municipal council, their initial response has been favorable, said Council Chair George Stewart.

"[The $1 million seed money] is a down payment on the process," Stewart said. "It's our feeling to put the money aside so it's not used somewhere else."

While the council is supportive of the new recreation center, Stewart said the new center could possibly be taken to the citizens for a vote, as was done with the iProvo bond.

The council will take official action on the recreation facility's budget near the end of June.

Copyright ©2007 The Daily Universe via UWire



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