In December, the City Council got its first look at a proposal from the Recreation Department to build a new 60,000 SF rec center in northwest Loveland. Residents and consultants say the Chilson Rec Center is crowded and lacks amenities. The only problem is the estimated cost for a new facility is $32 million. The City would be lucky to scrape together $7 million and it certainly does not have enough to fund the project.
In discussing this issue, Council members briefly addressed the idea of a “quality of life” sales tax similar to taxes passed in other regional cities (Fort Collins, Boulder, Greeley) as a mechanism by which to pay for the rec center and other amenities the City’s budget cannot fund. If the City were to put a proposal on the November 2016 ballot, it would need to get working on the concept soon. It is very likely this topic will be included in the agenda for the Council’s 2016 Goal Setting Workshop on Jan. 23.
IRES MLS: Come Home to Colorado 