The people of the Grand Valley have always enjoyed visiting city recreational areas, and recently there has been a push for more locations. Projects to make the city look nicer have included the riverfront Las Colonias, and Canyon view park. Grand Junction Parks and Recreation have been working to make the city more attractive for tourists and those who live there. After the vote in Grand Junction’s neighbor city, Fruita, passed for the construction of a new recreational center, the project began for Grand Junction to have the same.
The project was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with its location not set in stone. But during the events of the pandemic, the project was delayed, causing the vote to fail twice.
Following the pandemic, there was still a push by the public and the city board to have the city recreational center put on the ballot. While the original sales tax increase was lower, the new tax increase was raised up to 3.39 percent. This is up .4 percent from the already set 3.25 percent. This increase will pay off the project over the span of a few years. While some might dislike the increase in sales tax, some might see it as a necessary contribution to have the new recreational facility.
The decision was also made on the location. While some places including the area near Canyon View Park, and Lincoln Park were suggested as some of the possible locations, Grand Junction’s Parks and Recreation decided the best location would be Machett Park, off of Patterson Road. The combination of this two hundred-five acre land space and the busy road front would provide the perfect spot for a large recreational facility.
The Grand Junction City Council voted in December of 2022 to put the rec center vote on the ballot. The motion passed 5-1, with the only vote against it coming from council member Dennis Simpson, not wanting the increase in taxes.
The bill was put on the ballot, and the votes were tallied up. The result was a clear want for the recreational center, with 10,954 voters in favor of the new project and the .14 percent increase in sales tax, and 7,177 people voting against the project.
While the date of breaking ground is not yet confirmed, the project has been set into place. This 83,000 foot building will cost approximately seventy million dollars, but this large amount will increase the enjoyment of the people who live there. This building will include
a three court gymnasium, group fitness rooms, two part rooms, multi-purpose rooms, a rock climbing wall, three pools, weight lifting locations, a two lane track, and other interior and exterior facilities.
This is a significant sign in marking Grand Junction’s growth as a city. It is a continuation of the plan to try to make the city look nicer and neater. With travel coming back into the normal aspect of day to day life and tourists coming back around to see other places, cleaning up may be more important than ever. This is a key step in that progress.