Citizens group in Davis urges passage of recreation center
They say facility will be beneficial even to seniors
Jerilee Jones, who teaches physical education at Bountiful's Oak Hills Elementary, said even senior citizens on fixed incomes who tend to vote against such facilities would benefit from its swimming pools for rehabilitation as well as its walking track.
Jones is the chairwoman of Citizens for Recreation, a grass-roots group formed to support the $23 million recreation center for the residents of five south Davis County cities and the unincorporated areas. She said recreation is an important part of life.
"I'm a P.E. teacher and know the benefits personally and for other people who are physically active. Children that are active are healthier, more physically fit, have better self-esteem, do better in school and are less prone to everything from depression to crime," Jones said.
The citizens' group is working with PTAs, school groups, athletic groups and other community groups to get the word out about the Aug. 3 vote. Residents who will be out of town that day can vote earlier at the Davis County Memorial Courthouse in Farmington, she said.
Other than the Utah Taxpayers Association and a small group in Bountiful, opposition to the project seems muted, notes Bountiful City Manager Tom Hardy.
"I talk to a lot of people who are positive on it and very few who are negative," he said. "There are people who are against taxes no matter what they're for."
Hardy said if those who support the project show up at the polls, the bonds will be approved.
"A small turnout will hurt us," he said.
The recently created South Davis Recreation District has mailed a voter information pamphlet that should be in south Davis mailboxes by the end of the week.
Jones said her group will sponsor a float in Friday's Bountiful Handcart Days Parade, which draws an estimated 70,000 watchers.
Estimated annual operation costs for the recreation center are $2 million, of which users would pay $1.5 million with taxpayers from the cities of Bountiful, North Salt Lake, West Bountiful, Woods Cross and Centerville paying the rest, Jones said. Hardy agrees and said users could end up paying more of the operating costs if a larger number of season passes are sold.
"We estimated conservatively that users would pay three-quarters of the operating costs," Hardy said.
Jones sees a new rec center as an economic development tool as well as a quality of life issue.
"Quality of life is important to companies looking to locate or expand," Jones said.
E-mail: lweist@desnews.com
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