Recreation center plans unveiled tonight at Parks and Rec meeting

Early designs for a $6.2 million recreation center slated for Carson City's Mills Park will be available for a first glimpse at tonight's Parks and Recreation Commission meeting.

The proposed building, envisioned as an addition to the city's aquatic center, began as an indoor gymnasium that Carson City voters listed as a priority when they passed a 1996 ballot measure to fund various open space and recreation projects. After some public comments, however, the idea "morphed into a recreation center," said Parks and Recreation Director Roger Moellendorf.

Conceptual plans for the building now include two full-size basketball courts that could also become several volleyball or youth basketball courts, a walking track, a child-care room, administration offices, locker rooms, a fitness area and a possible climbing wall.

Moellendorf said while providing a free place for people to lift weights or run the treadmill may ruffle the feathers of business people who run fitness clubs that charge for that opportunity, a recreation center and fitness club will ultimately attract different clientele.

"We don't want to be directly competing with private businesses," he said, adding the recreation center will gear more toward family activities rather than adult-oriented iron-pumping.

"We find that a lot of people will sort of start out at a public (facility), then move to a private (business) as their needs change," he said.

The manager of one Carson City fitness club isn't wary of the proposed public facilities.

"That's a really good idea for people who maybe can't afford it (a club membership)," said Cheyne Lealand of Nevada Fitness.

The new center would be connected to the Carson City Aquatic Center's eastern edge on what is now lawn.

"We're real sensitive to the fact that we don't want to take up any more green space than we need to," Moellendorf said, "so the design is pretty compact."

The plans are in the early stages and some amenities may be added or removed before the center is approved by the city. One addition could be racquetball courts, for which a group of local players led by Parks and Recreation Commissioner Tom Patton are pushing. Moellendorf said his staff is trying to gauge public demand for a place to play the sport.

Officials hope the proposed center would be built in late 2006 and early 2007.

Carson City Parks and Recreation Commissioners are scheduled to view and discuss the conceptual design at their regular meeting tonight in the Sierra Room at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St., at 5:30 p.m.

n Contact reporter Cory McConnell at cmcconnell@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.

If you go

What: Carson City Parks and

Recreation

Commission

meeting

When: 5:30 tonight

Where: Sierra Room of the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St.

Call: 887-2262