Community gym at Pony Express Pavilion?

The next reincarnation for the Pony Express Pavilion could be as a community gymnasium.

Built to host a skating rink and an events center in 1993, the pavilion was transformed into an inline hockey rink in the winters and plays host to the Farmers Market in the summer and other special events through the year.

But with walls, the 30,000-square-foot pavilion and its central Mills Park location could be the best location for the next large Quality of Life project, said Steve Kastens, Parks and Recreation director.

Planned as the project to follow construction of the $3.8 million Aquatic Facility, city leaders had planned for the gym to be built near the new Boys & Girls Club off Lompa Lane.

Now, preliminary plans call for the pavilion to be turned into a gym. A second place to house current pavilion events would be built at the Lompa Lane site. The second facility could accommodate inline hockey as well as create a venue for indoor soccer.

"Before we're too far down this road, I want to see if I have support for it," Kastens said.

The Carson City Parks and Recreation Commission will discuss today whether to pursue the idea of turning the pavilion into a community gym.

Kastens said the pavilion's central location and proximity to the pool and Mills Park make it an ideal location and would keep recreation department programs in one place.

Rough estimates place the transformation at $3 million. While the original proposal was for a $1.2 million, 10,000-square-foot gym, Kastens pointed out the community would get three times the space for the extra money.

"Looking at the future growth of this community, we think we'll need this size of a facility," he said.

Building an extra-large gym would allow the recreation department to completely abandon the current gym.

In a spin on the plans, Kastens said the current community center could become the new home to the Carson City Library, a proposal wholeheartedly embraced by Library Director Sally Edwards. She credited the idea of moving the library to the community center to Mitch Ames, community center theater manager.

"It's just the best idea that has come along for the plight of the library in forever," she said. "By far and away, it would be the most fiscally conservative way to expand the public library versus finding the land and building a new building. It holds the central location of the library and pairing the library with the community theater is a perfect match."

Kastens said the community center gym could be transformed into a two-story wing of the library. Moving there could triple the library's size.

"If it comes to pass, it would be a huge benefit to the community," Edwards said.

ReneZ Mayo, liaison between Carson City and the 450-member Sierra Inline Hockey Association, said the group would be delighted to have a place to play indoors.

"We know we're very lucky to get a hockey rink, but playing outside is tough," Mayo said. "As far as I'm concerned, it's awesome."

If you go:

What: Carson City Parks and Recreation Commission

When: 5:30 p.m., today

Where: the Community Center's Sierra Room, 851 E. William St.