Community Recreation Center Information

Final CRC Plan - November 2022

Community Recreation Center Feasibility Study (CRC) (PDF) - Adopted by City Council Resolution (PDF) on November 16, 2022

Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan (PROS) (PDF) - Adopted by City Council Resolution (PDF) on January 6, 2021

PRAB Board Members (L to R): City Councilor, Phil Pe'a, Kyle Gardner, Lilly Grisafi, Cindy Enos-Martinez, Nancy Strippel, William Findlay, Lisa Whalin, Gary Schroen, Byron Wiehe.
Not pictured: Austin Solko

My name is Bill Findlay. I am a retired Pediatrician and I serve as the Chair of the PRAB subcommittee for the Community Rec. Center planning. This committee includes all members of PRAB shown in the picture above. PRAB is a City Council appointed group of volunteers to advise the Parks and Recreation Development and the City Council on matters related to parks and recreation. Council assigned us the task of guiding the planning for the CRC, a process that has recently concluded.

Read the full letter from Bill Findlay here.

A CRC was identified as the top priority in the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan (PROS). The CRC planning process has been guided by numerous surveys, focus groups, and meetings over the years, and it is imperative this continues as the CRC plan evolves. The most recent statistically valid survey was conducted by Professors from Colorado Mesa University (CMU). Many of the outcomes of this survey that represents the broader Grand Junction guided the main elements in the City Council adopted 2022 CRC Plan. Click here to read the full survey report.

The CRC planning process is divided into three distinct phases or work sessions. Phase 1 focused on site location, Phase 2 focused on funding and building program, and Phase 3 is focusing on a complete preliminary plan.

The Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) is leading the analysis of all the public input and information received along with numerous other data points and public engagement. This process is being driven by community input so that the final plan reflects and is grounded in community in what the community has stated it needs.

Phase 3 Review: Design and Operational Plan - September 2022

In Phase 3, the Design and Operational Plan Presentation (PDF) was shown during various focus group meetings, to the PRAB and to the community on September 19 and 20. To view the full video presentation that captures the full plan, check out the project page on GJSpeaks.org. This presentation merged all elements from the previous phases including location and funding sources to offer a complete "picture" of the proposed Community Recreation Center concept design. The concept design includes rendering and images so residents can understand and visualize themselves and their families in a possible Grand Junction CRC. The building concept incorporates design threads taken directly from public input from previous work sessions. It also includes operations components such as staffing, cost recovery, fees for admission, and hours of operations among other elements. Community members are encouraged to view the entire GJ Speaks presentation to fully understand the current plan and to then provide comments on GJ Speaks to be included in the final report coming in November. These comments will be shared with the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to inform these deliberations on the near complete plan. Providing comments also ensure the community continues to drive the plan for what would be the community's Recreation Center.

Phase 2 Review: Funding Sources and Facility Components - July 2022

For Phase 2, the Community Recreation Center Funding Presentation (PDF) was provided to City Council and at various work sessions to the PRAB and community on July 18 and 19. Please click here to see a summarized video presentation on GJ Speaks. The video is located at the bottom of the GJ Speaks page. Discussion surrounded funding and two building programs, one with a total project cost of $55M at approximately 65,000 square feet in size and the other with a total project cost of $70M at approximately 83,000 square feet in size. Cannabis tax revenue devoted to parks and recreation was approved by voters in April 2021. While substantial, this funding source alone will not cover the cost to build a CRC in Grand Junction and a second funding source is needed. A survey conducted by professors from Colorado Mesa University in early 2022 revealed majority support for any one of three potential second funding sources:

67% definite or probable support for a 0.15% sales tax;
69% for a 3 mill increase (property tax);
79% supported a tax on nicotine products

Given this, the second Public Work Session focused on drilling further down on this result. The work session also described the two possible different building programs include the highest needs based on the CRC survey. The primary difference is the size and extent of each component. For example, both have leisure pools, fitness/weights and gym space. The larger version would have larger visions of these and additional components.

The $55M option could be funded in one of three ways:

Cannabis revenue already secured + 0.1% sales tax increase
Cannabis revenue already secured + 2 mill property tax increase
Cannabis revenue already secured + $3 per pack tax on cigarettes plus a nicotine tax on all other products such as vaping, chew and cigars

The $70M option could be funded in one of three ways:

Cannabis revenue already secured + 0.15% sales tax increase
Cannabis revenue already secured + 3 mill property tax increase
Cannabis revenue already secured + $3 per pack tax on cigarettes plus a nicotine tax on all other products such as vaping, chew and cigars

Phase 1 Review: Site Location - June 2022

After Phase 1, and after reviewing all the public input, PRAB made a unanimous recommendation to City Council to pursue Matchett Park as the location for the potential CRC. City Council then approved Matchett Park as the potential location.