Hanna Moves Forward with Sale of Recreation Center

4/10/2025 |

Photo – Matt Copeland Bigfoot 99

Hanna officials move forward with plans to sell the town’s shuttered recreation center.

For over a century, coal was king in Hanna, first fueling the locomotives of the railways and later power plants across the nation.

When coal was booming, the mine companies built a large recreation center to attract workers and their families to the northern Carbon County town. In the early 2000’s, when the mines began to close, the town took ownership of the recreation center.

The mining companies failed to provide the town with money to pay for the operation of the recreation center. As a result, Hanna officials have relied on impact assistance funds from nearby wind energy projects to help cover the $300,000 annual cost of running the facility.

As impact assistance funds dwindled, the Hanna town council, led by then-Mayor Jayson Nordquist, faced the tough decision to shut down the struggling recreation center, ultimately closing the facility indefinitely on July 31st, 2024. Mayor Nordquist promised to maintain the building, hoping it will eventually reopen.

After a single winter without use, however, the Hanna Recreation Center is showing signs of deterioration. In February, Mayor Charlie George announced that the facility’s roof was leaking and that sections of the metal siding had been torn off by the wind.

The following month, the town council received estimates of $48,000 to repair a portion of the roof and $6,200 to replace the metal siding. Ultimately, the governing body decided against moving forward with either repair project and instead discussed the possibility of selling the building.

Mayor George revisited the matter during Tuesday’s Hanna town council meeting. Councilman Sam Sikes suggested demolishing the building, saying that the town lacks the funds to maintain it. However, the mayor noted that the town also cannot afford the cost of demolition.

Mayor George said town officials met with representatives from the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation to discuss selling the recreation center.

The town was advised to maintain the building until a buyer could be found. Reluctantly, the mayor proposed replacing the missing siding and repairing the leaking roof.

Town Clerk Vivian Gonzales said they should know if the building is likely to sell by the middle of next month. Mayor George said the building must be maintained until that time.

Councilman Sikes suggested finding the source of the leak before committing to repairing the roof. Public Works Director Larry Korkow said the water might be originating from plumbing lines that were cut when the building was winterized last year. Public Works employee David Sutter said locating the source of the leak is challenging due to the building’s construction.

Councilman Sikes warned that the roof might still leak after repairs unless the source of the water is found.

Given the building’s need for repairs and a possible buyer, Mayor George proposed delaying the roof repairs. In the meantime, the mayor recommended replacing the missing siding.

The town received one $6,200 bid to replace the metal siding at the rec center. Mayor George said the public works department staff could perform the work, but they will need to rent a lift. Councilman David Felix noted that the price of renting the equipment will bring the cost of the project close to the contractor’s estimate.

Councilman Sikes asked where the $6,200 to replace the siding will come from. Treasurer Ann Calvert explained that impact assistance funds and money from the general budget could be used for the project. Calvert added that while the town has sufficient funds to cover the cost of the siding, it cannot afford to repair the roof.

The Hanna town council voted to postpone roof repairs at the recreation center until the source of the leak can be found. Additionally, the governing body voted to spend $6,200 to replace the missing siding on the building.

Mayor George said the town must take better care of the facility until a buyer can be found.