Redmond agency planning new recreation center

The Redmond Area Park and Recreation District wants to expand — by consolidating. It’s planning a new center that would combine everything in one location, and is seeking your input at a public meeting this week..

Right now, it’s spread out all over the city. It’s got a pool, half basketball court, and a weight room, but all of them are in separate buildings.

“It’d be so nice to have it all in one location,” Recreation Manager Mike Elam said Monday. “Right now, if they want to come do a weight workout and then go swim laps, well, they’ve got to come here or there, and then travel across town to get to the other facility to finish their workouts.”

The new center also would serve as an upgrade to the current facilities.

“Our pool is quite dated,” RAPRD Aquatic Director Jessica Rowan said. “It was built in 1978, it was open in 1979. It was kind of built on a dated paradigm for aquatics. It’s a lap pool, it’s great for competition, but it’s very limited in what we can offer.”

And it’s not just the pool that the park and rec district wants to upgrade. Right now, they only have a half basketball court, but are trying to add at least one with the new facility.

The new center’s also getting built out of necessity. In about five years, the RAPRD is going to tear down the Activity Center because Odem Medo Road is due for an expansion at that point.

It’s unclear where the new recreation center will go, or how it will be paid for, but they’re expecting it will come from public funds.

“Hopefully it will be a combination of some sources,” RAPRD director Katie Hammer said. “We are a tax-funded organization, so there’s a great potential that the bulk of the funds will come from a bond in the future.”

You’re encouraged to give your input at a public hearing this Wednesday.from 6:30-8 p.m. at the Redmond Early Learning Center on West Antler Avenue.