A lot has changed in Cortez since 1994, and supporters of a proposed recreation center are counting on some of those changes to help push through the votes needed to make the facility a reality.

In 1994, a similar proposal was defeated by a 2-1 margin in a vote by Cortez citizens, but the idea was never completely dropped by supporters, said Director of City Parks and Recreation Chris Burkett.

Now, center proponents hope to place a half-cent sales-tax increase to finance a $7.9 million recreation center on the ballot Nov. 6. The sum includes furniture and exercise equipment.

A Thursday-night community meeting on the recreation-center proposal drew some 50 interested citizens. Burkett recommended that seven to nine were needed to form a committee for the center; 18 stepped forward.

Burkett said he thinks there are several reasons why the community has been able to revive interest in a center, including finances, a lack of competing bond issues, and demographics.

"They (supporting citizens) feel that the community itself has changed a little bit with the people who have moved into the community," Burkett said. "They feel that the community is better off (financially). They also feel there aren’t as many issues before the community to be solved like a school-bond issue (which was on the ballot in 1994)."

Burkett said, in 1999, the city council revisited the notion that Cortez would benefit from a public recreation facility.

"We did a brief study and survey using Barker, Rinker, Seacat Architects to get us information and review what the costs might be," Burkett said.

The City Council then decided the center would not be possible to build with existing revenues, and turned the issue back to the community.

The current proposal to finance the estimated $7.9 million needed for the center would mean a half-cent city sales-tax increase to be put in place for 20 years.

The proposed facility includes a gymnasium with a full basketball court, two volleyball courts, bleachers for 50-60, space for aerobics, and a climbing area. It also would have a walk-jog track, a leisure pool, lap pool, a spa for eight to 10 persons, an exercise room, locker rooms and storage space as part of the 32,780 feet of "active recreation area."

The facility would also offer a multi-purpose room for meetings, social events and crafts classes as well as a child-care center, lobby, staff offices and additional storage space as part of the additional 8,640 feet of "community use space."

Burkett said that although the plans for the proposed center are by no means final, he thinks the current design caters more to the needs of the community.

"Doing a full-blown pool is something that covers a broader spectrum of the community, so seniors and youth can all get something out of these things," he said.

The design is similar to the 1994 floor plan but the committee’s input will help to determine the ultimate layout, Burkett said.

"The planning that has preceded us to this point and time is something that was directed by the community in 1994," he said.

"We’re not getting an indication that the needs have changed, but what we’re really needing to do is have the community group come in and verify that it hasn’t changed so that we can do a finalized plan or that if it has changed, we can get to that plan as well."

Cortez citizen and former city-council member Bob Diederich was one of the first citizens to volunteer for the committee.

Diederich said the committee will "be a core group that will keep the ball rolling on the whole thing."

"We hope to hold numerous meetings with citizens to get their ideas on what they want as far as the recreation center goes," Diederich said.

"I feel it’s a center this area needs," he said. "And it would be an area facility instead of just a town facility."

He added that the facility would offer much-needed winter activities for all ages.

"It would be good for the elderly people in that there would be an indoor pool where they could exercise in the winter months," Diederich said "It’s just overall something Cortez has needed."

The idea and proposal for a recreation center has been in the public’s attention for a very long time, Diederich said. "This community has been trying to get such a facility for some 15 years."

Diederich said in 1994 as a member of the city council, he was not able to be involved with the committee but now, as a private citizen, he will be able to be a driving force for the recreation center.

"I believe in it and I believe it will help the young and the old in the community as well as everyone else."

Diederich said the committee will need to take a number of actions to promote the facility.

"We feel that we’re going to get way more citizens involved this time," Diederich said. "There were quite a few of them involved last time, but we’re going to try to get even more involved so that we do understand that the community is interested in it."

Diederich said he believed the most important job of the committee will be to inform citizens of the plans and finances.

"We’ve got to give a complete picture to the community before they vote," he said. "This time around we’re going to make all that known to the public and be sure they understand it so they get a clearer picture maybe than they had last time."