Future Rec Center Discussed

Anita Weston, Reporter

Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah.  April 21, 2016.  Bob Peterson, the City Ordinance Officer, is still working on the recreation center.  He will have a business plan written within the next two months.  Peterson has also done quite a bit of research dealing with city recreational centers.  He looked into 24 different cities.  Twenty-two of the twenty-four were making a profit on their facility.  There is a million dollar grant that deals with recreation, exercise, and fitness centers.  The rules have not been written for the grant but will be released soon.  Peterson doesn’t know if a match will be required or exactly what the requirements will be.   July is the date when applications can be submitted.  The City is going to look over the requirements, and will apply if the City can meet those requirements. 

He noted that a one-stop facility was the most popular.  All amenities need to be in one place.  A pool was recommended—we already have that.  The center needs to have interactive game rooms, and a track was highly recommended.  A climbing wall is something that needs to be considered as well as a cultural facility being included.  Solar panels would be a bit more costly in the beginning, but apparently lower costs over time.

It has been found that having such a facility assists youth to be active.  Forty six percent of youth involved in physical activities say no to drugs.  Three hundred billion dollars are paid out annually for recreation.  Money flows that direction.  Recreation of all kinds also creates jobs.

The trails master plan is being created.  The City is part of those plans.  A survey was taken in 2013 with 45 participants.  One hundred percent of those respondents used the park facilities, rode or walked the bike path, and used 150 South for beach access.  People in town appreciate recreational opportunities.  Perhaps the current facilities are adequate, but times are changing.  We may lose some of the small town atmosphere, but we do need to grow.  Funding with grants can cover up to about 70 percent of the cost of the center.  Raising fees, sales tax, and recreation tax, as seen by participants, where more money can be raised was acceptable, but they don’t want property taxes to be raised.

Weather in Garden City is unpredictable.  Over 4,500 individuals were at the pool this past winter actually swimming.  That doesn’t count the individuals who sat around the pool and watched those swimming.  July and August in Garden City averages about an inch of rain—people need a place to go when it rains.

There is a possibility that a funding source could be a charter school.  If the City decides to sponsor a charter school, over half of the cost of the recreational center would be paid for by the charter school because they would be allowed to use the facilities for many of the classes that they teach.

This spring the high school golf team went to their first two tournaments without any golf practice because of snow being on the ground.  It would have been nice to have been able to use a driving range for some practice prior to competition.  Peterson will continue to work on this recreational center project.

Peterson noted that a one-stop facility was the most popular.  All amenities need to be in one place.  A pool was recommended—we already have that.  The center needs to have interactive game rooms, and a track was highly recommended.  A climbing wall is something that needs to be considered as well as a cultural facility being included.  Solar panels would be a bit more costly in the beginning, but apparently lower costs over time.

It has been found that having such a facility assists youth to be active.  Forty six percent of youth involved in physical activities say no to drugs.  Three hundred billion dollars are paid out annually for recreation.  Money flows that direction.  Recreation of all kinds also creates jobs.

The trails master plan is being created.  The City is part of those plans.  A survey was taken in 2013 with 45 participants.  One hundred percent of those respondents used the park facilities, rode or walked the bike path, and used 150 South for beach access.  People in town appreciate recreational opportunities.  Perhaps the current facilities are adequate, but times are changing.  We may lose some of the small town atmosphere, but we do need to grow.  Funding with grants can cover up to about 70 percent of the cost of the center.  Raising fees, sales tax, and recreation tax, as seen by participants, where more money can be raised was acceptable, but they don’t want property taxes to be raised.

Weather in Garden City is unpredictable.  Over 4,500 individuals were at the pool this past winter actually swimming.  That doesn’t count the individuals who sat around the pool and watched those swimming.  July and August in Garden City averages about an inch of rain—people need a place to go when it rains.

There is a possibility that a funding source could be a charter school.  If the City decides to sponsor a charter school, over half of the cost of the recreational center would be paid for by the charter school because they would be allowed to use the facilities for many of the classes that they teach.

This spring the high school golf team went to their first two tournaments without any golf practice because of snow being on the ground.  It would have been nice to have been able to use a driving range for some practice prior to competition.  Peterson will continue to work on this recreational center project.