Provo residents likely to vote on bond to build city rec center

PROVO (Deseret News) — The details are still fuzzy, but Provo residents probably will vote in November on a $34 million to $41 million bond to build a new city recreation center.

The Provo City Council expressed support Tuesday for a bond election that would let residents decide if they want to pay for the proposed 150,000-square-foot center with indoor pools, indoor track and basketball courts, as well as space for a new senior citizens center. The center would be located in Provo's North Park at 500 N. Freedom Boulevard and would integrate the existing Veterans Memorial Pool.

"We have very inefficient facilities that just don't meet the public needs," said Councilman Sterling Beck. "This is the No. 1 question I get: Why can't Provo build something as nice as other cities?"

In fact, a city-sponsored survey by Dan Jones & Associates shows widespread support for a new recreation center, and putting it on November's general election ballot will give residents a chance to back that opinion with their pocketbooks.

The City Council has until Aug. 17 to decide what the proposed center would look like and how much the bond might be if it is going to appear on the November ballot.

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