Survey to gauge city's feelings on recreation center

Survey to gauge city's feelings on recreation center

June 2, 2001

THIS CONCEPTUAL DRAWING depicts the proposed Cortez Recreation Center as it would look on the east side. Proponents say the design is not yet set.

by Aspen C. Emmett
Journal Staff Writer

Next week city residents can expect to receive a mail survey on a $8.1 million family recreational center proposed for Cortez, according to Bob Diederich, member of the citizens’ group Friends of the Center.

The survey is designed to poll the community on what the general consensus is before the Cortez City Council votes on whether or not to include a 0.055-percent tax-increase initiative on the November ballot. Two public hearings on the issue have been tentatively set by the council on June 25 and July 10 for citizens to express their opinions.

The survey includes questions about citizens’ projected use of the center, their perceptions of the proposed sales-tax increase to fund the center, and whether people feel as though they have enough information about the center to make an educated vote on the issue.

"These are the types of things we need to know to move ahead," Diederich said.

The survey also includes a brief background of the proposal and information on who can use it and what the facility will include.

Diederich emphasized that the proposed design is not "set in stone" and community input is strongly encouraged.

If approved as proposed now, the center would be built in Parque de Vida, where the city already owns land and parking spaces. The facility will include an indoor jogging track, family pool, water slide, water channel for resistance walking, six-lane lap pool with diving board, basketball and volleyball courts, multi-purpose rooms, an exercise area for aerobic machines and a baby-sitting room for child care.

Existing city Parks and Recreation employees would be put to work in the operation and management of the facility, and some positions would be added to fill in where necessary.

Daily use fees, season passes for individuals as well as families, 20-punch tickets, program fees and facility rentals would also be applied to help pay for day-to-day operations. Although the user fees have not been set yet, Chris Burkett, director of Parks and Recreation, said the fees will be "competitive" with those at other comparable facilities.

The push for a family recreation center is not new to the community. In 1994 a similar proposal was defeated by Cortez voters by a 2-1 margin.

Proponents of the center never gave up on the idea, though, and hope that this time around it will receive the community support needed to make it a reality.