The Utah Sports Academy Community Center is being proposed by the nonprofit Utah Sports Academy, founded by Lewis Lofton, a former pro basketball player who once suited up at Weber State University.
Utah Sports Academy officials estimate construction and first-year operating costs for the project to be between $11 million and $12 million — a funding package they are still in the process of putting together.
Plans for the center include five full basketball courts, five full volleyball courts, the main pool as well as a specially designed wading pool for youth and special-needs athletes, weight and exercise rooms, a wellness instruction classroom, a refreshment and food court area, a resident pediatric physical therapist/sports therapist, men’s and women’s locker areas, a clothing and equipment retail store, and administrative offices.
David Hansen, director of organization and community development for Utah Sports Academy, said the community center would be a private-public partnership. Utah Sports Academy officials have given presentations on the project to county officials, including county commissioners, the county planning commission and the engineering department.
Hansen said his group is in the process of securing the land, a 6-acre area on the northwest corner of SR-138 and SR-36 in Stansbury Park.
Dean Gonzales, vice president of the Utah Sports Academy — and Tooele’s Junior Jazz league director — has been working on building a recreation center in the valley for five years.
“We’ve been trying to put a program out like this for years,” Gonzales said. “I think now with all the new people coming in they’re wanting a center, a focus, a structure in sports.”
Tooele County Commissioner Jerry Hurst said he thinks this type of facility would be a good addition to the county.
“I think that it’d be fantastic if we could get it located here,” he said. “I think there’s a huge need. They’re talking about organized athletics and it sounds like a great facility.”
Those with the project have informally invited various sports partners, including Tooele Junior Jazz program, Utah Special Olympics Program, Stand A Little Taller (SALT) Program (Inner-city/Anti-gang), Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Utah, the Tooele County School District, LDS Church sports, YMCA sports and YWCA sports, to be involved in the community center.
Officials hope the facility could potentially play host to meetings, tournaments, meets, invitationals, Utah Special Olympics Clinics, and multiple recreation leagues, as well as aerobics, wellness and fitness classes.
“It’ll be a private-public partnership that will not only be unique but will bring a lot of attention to the area,” Hansen said.
Gonzales said operating profits made at the center will go back into center programs and improvements.
He hopes to break ground this fall before winter sets in and open in 2010, and he said the goal is to make a true community recreation center.
“The idea is to incorporate the whole community,” he said.
Sarah Miley: swest@tooeletranscript.com
This actually says more about Tooele City than Stansbury. Tooele City cant do anything to improve the quality of life for their residents. Look at England Acres, Elton Park, Glen Eagle or any other Tooele park. They are terrible and there is no rec center in Tooele (Pratt doesnt count). As soon as the economy improves, the house is going up for sale and were getting out of Tooele City, probably to Stansbury. Tooele City is still living in the 1930's.... I for one will be excited to see this break ground and cant blame Stansbury if they become involved and there are restrictions or differences between Stansbury residents and rest of the valley, I say this because namely Tooele City doesnt want to do anything for their residents except collect taxes and provide inadequate city services. When was the last time you saw a street sweeper on your street? I can begin to say, yet I see them in Stansbury all the time.
That is like saying those who live in Stansbury can not use the Tooele City Library; Oh wait, I think they do charge more for those in Stansbury to use the Library.
So, I guess they should at least charge more for those who don't live in Stansbury to use it. I just hope my taxes don't go up to pay for the center and another pool that is constantly being pooped in. All three times I have gone to the Pratt pool in Tooele it has been shut down for poop in the pool, not a nice though when they tell you you can get back in the water now.
« Notfromhere12 wrote on Friday, Sep 04 at 10:19 PM »
I don't see how this will benefit those of us that live in Tooele. Stansbury will claim it as theirs as refuse to let anyone else use it!