Rec center search

Diana Sahagun

Monday, Jan. 31, 2000 | 11:23 a.m.

Ask Tyrell Johnson what he wants out of a city recreation center and he's quick to tell you -- "More hoops."

Decked out in a brick red Chicago Bulls jersey, Johnson let his wish be known while playing at the city of North Las Vegas' lone recreation center at 1638 N. Bruce St.

More hoops and more recreation areas are what city residents have asked the City Council for on many occasions. Many have specifically said they want a new rec center complete with a swimming pool, basketball courts and classes for people of all ages.

The city has been working for months to break ground on a new $5 million rec center, but has hit more speedbumps on the road to the facility. Although the land has been purchased and the bonds secured for funding, officials continue to work toward finding an architectural concept that suits the city. City officials have gone back and forth between two architects and three concepts.

Mayor Michael Montandon summed up the delay at last week's City Council meeting, telling council members, "We are nowhere right now."

The latest thinking is that the city should draft a design similar to Henderson's Black Mountain Recreation Center and alter it to suit the needs of North Las Vegas residents.

An 11-acre parcel of land at Alexander Road and Allen Lane was purchased by Clark County in September to house the future 22,000-square-foot center, complete with swimming pool. The county and city have each pitched in $1 million. The remaining amount will be paid by city-issued bonds.

At the start, the city chose Las Vegas architect company RAFI to create a customized design for the center. Then, city staff decided it would be more cost-effective to draft the building after the Desert Breeze Recreation Center at 8275 Spring Mountain Road, using its specs and architect, Lucchesi Galati Architects Inc.

Now the city is looking for another architect to create a design following the Black Mountain design.

Although no formal contract was signed, the city ended up paying RAFI $24,800 for its yearlong efforts, Parks and Rec Director Eric Dabney said.

Councilwoman Shari Buck has been touring rec centers around the city and beyond with staff members to get ideas for what will work best for North Las Vegas. And during the meeting, Buck said that the Desert Breeze concept just doesn't fit.

"I visited Desert Breeze, and it isn't quite what the citizens need in terms of space and how the facility is laid out," she said. "In my opinion, we can go above and beyond what Desert Breeze provides." She added that the center does not have a kitchen facility or racquetball courts.

After visiting rec centers in Mesquite, Henderson and Las Vegas, she proposed that the council look at Black Mountain Recreation Center in Henderson and draft a rendering similar to the center, which cost Henderson $5.5 million to build in 1996.

"We were the first to really design that large of a center," said Rich Robles, recreation superintendent for Henderson. "The nice thing about it is we have a full-sized gym, three racquetball courts, a fitness room, dance/aerobic room, three meeting rooms, three classrooms, a kitchen centered between the three classrooms, storage, and a game room."

Black Mountain, designed by HSA Architects Inc., also has an aquatic complex made up of three pools.

"I want to make sure our rec center has what the citizens want," Buck said. "Mainly, the residents I have spoken with want a gym, ballet classes, different kinds of arts and crafts, and a lot of kids programs."

During the meeting, Buck directed Dabney to bring the matter before the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board to plan future meetings to give residents a chance to provide input on the center.

Dabney said the matter will be presented to the board at the next meeting Feb. 1, and the board will then talk strategy, he hoped with an architect on hand.

"We don't need to be in such a hurry that we build a building that at the outset is insufficient," Buck said. "So let's take an extra few months or two to make sure we have public input, and look at some other options. This rec center is going to be more than just a rec center, it will be a community center."

The City Council approved the plan for a new rec center in 1998, after residents voiced concerns about the lack of parks and recreation in the city. The council then made parks and recreation a top priority, setting a target of 2002 for a new rec center.

Although faced with setbacks, Buck still thinks 2002 is a good target date at least for breaking ground.

"My understanding is it could be done within that time, by 2002," she said. "The important thing is to have citizens' input."

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