In addition to selecting candidates in the June 27 primary election, Pleasant Grove voters will be asked to approve a $5 million bond to help pay for a new recreation center.

Last year, council members voted to nix plans for a $14 million bond planned to fund three new city projects -- a library, recreation facility and fire station. City managers were redirected to evaluate those plans after financial numbers proved the move was fiscally unwise for the city.

The city is now proposing construction of a new recreation facility planned to be built in the city's Gateway Area near the Interstate 15 interchange.

The new community center would be approximately 50,000 square feet, three times the size of the current community center, and would be completed over three phases.

The current facility, erected in 1908, was built as a dance hall and faces disability access concerns, inadequate storage and growing pains as it services almost 1,200 participants in programs offered by the city's recreation department.

"From a facility standpoint, this has to be the first change to be made in our plans to help the downtown area," said councilman Darold McDade. "We can move the recreation center and not lose out on any program participation while the site is being built. With the others, this is something we just cannot do."

According to Pleasant Grove's financial adviser Jason Burningham, the city has $2 million in its capital projects fund to pay for such a project but would have to bond for up to $5 million, the remaining construction costs for the project.

"The impact to a single family residence valued at $200,000 would see an increase of $21 a year in their property taxes. Commercial entities are assessed 100 percent of the fair market value and a property with the same value would see an increase of $3.20 per month, $38 per year," Burningham said.

Over the past several months the city has worked hard to prepare for the bond and finalize its plans for the facility, but along the way they have met some opposition from city residents.

Many citizens have expressed concern about the needs for additional funds for possible land acquisition for the facility.

Originally, concept drawings showed the site would be on city property located on the west side of the Veterans Memorial Swimming Pool, 570 E. 300 South, replacing the existing Veterans Memorial Park.

However, after council members and city staff saw the lack of space as a prime issue, plans were re-evaluated and a new site was found in order to build a facility that would service the community for years to come.

For the past month, several members of Citizens for Community Improvement have also been sponsoring public information meetings addressing questions and concerns by providing a forum to discuss potential programming and facility costs for the center.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B6.