The Cortez City Council chamber looked like a crowded airport terminal Tuesday night — filled with people of all ages and diverse backgrounds, all hoping to see a long-awaited Cortez recreation center project take off.

"It’s apparent, from the number of people here tonight, that the people who live in Cortez like to recreate," said Kokopelli Bike and Board owner Jimbo Fairley.

While Fairley’s comment was intended to get a laugh out of the large crowd, it also rang true throughout the night.

Cortez Mayor Joe Keck estimated that more than 100 people, including doctors, police officers, parents, children and senior citizens, came to the meeting to show their support for a possible rec center. And their reasons for supporting such an endeavor were as varied as their backgrounds.

Duane Daniels, co-owner of Canyon Sports, said, "Recreation is the key to keeping problems down later on in life."

The recreation center should pass easily since area residents just voted "yes" on a jail expansion, Daniels said.

"If we don’t get the recreation center we will probably be voting to expand that jail again in the near future," he said.

Local physician Leonard Cain cited the weight-loss, cholesterol-lowering and rehabilitation benefits that would come with such a facility.

Cortez high-school student Daniel Puls promised that the Cortez swim team’s trophy case would quickly fill up if the city were to install an indoor lap pool at the rec center.

"It would mean that we wouldn’t have to drive all the way to Towaoc in the winter to swim," Puls said. "This means more water time and we would win more meets," he jested, adding that he was sure that the school board would be willing to negotiate about funding.

Other county residents mentioned the value to families, older residents and the economy — especially during the winter.

"An indoor track would give senior citizens a safe place to walk during the winter without fear of falling," said Dr. Allan Burnside. Local parents said that an indoor family pool would give kids something to do year-round.

County resident Mike McCluhan added that a U.S. Swimming Association-regulation swimming pool could accommodate state swimming competitions and draw hundreds of student-athletes and parents into the community — filling hotels and restaurants during colder months. It would open up a lot of opportunities for athletes too, McCluhan said.

"Not everybody is a football, basketball, baseball (player or) wrestler," he said.

Along with giving a plug for their choice of possible facilities, nearly all of the speakers Tuesday night said they would be willing to pay the membership fee that would be necessary to provide for maintenance and upkeep of the building.

Possible facility suggestions included an indoor lap pool, gymnasium, racquetball courts, family pool, climbing wall, performance stage, and ice-skating arena.

However, financing such a large-scale project is a separate matter.

Many speakers felt that financing should be approached from a county-wide standpoint, stating that many county residents would benefit from the rec center.

Some locals felt that the city should look to the school, hospital and recreation districts to help share in the cost. Others thought that the city should start with a small facility but should leave room to grow.

In 1994 the city had also proposed a recreation center, but voters knocked the idea down by a 60-40 margin.

That vote included only city residents and was competing against the Cortez Middle School renovation and a fire-district increase, said Parks and Recreation Director Chris Burkett.

Burkett said that following Tuesday night’s meeting, 32 interested citizens signed up to form a steering committee for the project. That committee will be responsible for soliciting public input, discussing building options and talking about a financing plan.

"The city got the response they wanted, and now they know that people are interested in the idea. Now it is a matter of pursuing this to the next step," Burkett said Wednesday.

Only one person who attended the meeting spoke against the idea of a recreation center.