#PROVO REC CENTER RESERVATIONS FULL#

“I could do a tour of this rec center and only point out the things we added or enhanced with the extra money we had to work with,” said Henderson. Not only were they able to keep construction costs down, the department was also able to have several amenities added with the money they were saving. In fact, if the Provo Rec Center were built today, it would cost 1.5 times more, according to Henderson. All of a sudden, our construction cost per square foot was way down, especially compared to now in a booming construction economy.” “Then the good part happened: we were building this facility in the middle of a poor economy. “Even though things were financially difficult, our citizens wanted it so badly that we passed with a 60% vote,” said Henderson. was in the middle of a recession at the time, it was “a tough pitch,” according to Henderson. Not to be deterred, they decided to ask the citizens of Provo to vote on using a general obligation bond to build the rec center, which would require the city to later repay the debt through revenue from the facility itself or higher taxes. According to the study results, building a rec center to the scale they were hoping would be nearly impossible. The Provo Parks and Recreation team actually had to do two additional feasibility studies during this 10-year gap after rec center plans were first made to get updated information. “Sometimes, the right idea, when it’s balanced with other community needs or whatever else is happening, doesn’t always make it to the top.” “One thing you develop in municipal recreation is patience,” said Henderson. “It actually happened 10 years after that.”Īlthough there was a need for a rec center in Provo, the approval process moved slowly. “When I was hired in 2001, the director at the time, Roger Thomas, said, ‘Scott, you’re going to have a golden shovel in your hand in one year, and we’re going to start building a new rec center,’ which was exciting,” recalled Henderson. After growing up in Great Falls, Montana, and serving in a variety of community recreation roles before moving to Provo, the chance to be part of such a big project has been a great experience. The Provo Rec Center, from its initial planning to construction to daily operation, has been a labor of love for Scott Henderson, the director of parks and recreation in Provo.

“It’s a fun and safe place for people to go at an affordable cost.”ĭespite being planned during a poor economy and experiencing much higher usage than expected, the Provo Rec Center has been thriving as the standard for health and wellness in the community. “The Provo Rec Center provides a lot of different ways for people to be active, whether that’s in a more playful setting or more structured workout setting,” said Lauren LeDoux, a fitness coordinator at the Provo Rec Center.

#PROVO REC CENTER RESERVATIONS FULL#

The 162,000-square-foot facility was an instant hit when it opened, and with a full suite of recreation services, it has remained a popular destination for fitness enthusiasts and families alike. “Roughly 7,000 of our 125,000 residents come here every single day - and that includes Group X classes and outdoor leisure aquatics,” said Bryce Merrill, the recreation center manager. Since its grand opening in 2013, the Provo Rec Center has been the hub of health and wellness activities in the local community. This question, posed in 2013 by John Curtis, the previous mayor of Provo, Utah, represents how important the Provo Recreation Center ( Provo Rec Center) is to the surrounding community. “What were all these people doing before this place was built?”

Provo rec center reservations