June 13, 2024 |
Photo – Hanna Recreation Center – Bigfoot99 file photo
After months of expecting the inevitable, the announcement came Tuesday night in Hanna. The town will close its struggling recreation center at the end of July.
During Tuesday’s Hanna town council meeting, Mayor Pro-Tem Jayson Nordquist said after careful deliberation, the council chose to shutter the Hanna Recreation Center.
The decision to close the recreation center should not come as a surprise for Hanna residents. The governing body has been very vocal about the financial strain the oversized facility puts on the town.
Built in 1982 by the Carbon County Coal Company, the recreation center was designed to attract coal miners and their families to Hanna. Complete with a large pool, gymnasium, weight rooms, and a racket ball court, the facility was designed to cater to thousands of residents.
The town was gifted the rec center in the early 2000’s after the last coal mines closed. Since that time, the population of Hanna has dropped to less than 700 residents. A lower population means less tax revenue and fewer members using the recreation center.
Financial reports provided by the town show that the facility costs roughly $300,000 a year to run: money that the governing body said would be better spent on filling potholes and keeping the town’s water system functional.
Back at Tuesday’s Hanna town council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Nordquist said the building will be maintained so the town can reopen it in the future.
The town has installed security cameras around the building and will board up any unsecured doors. The council said they want to keep the structure safe from vandals in case they can reopen the facility or someone wants to buy the building.
Former Hanna Recreation Director Mike Armstrong said despite claims made by the former mayor, Jon Ostling, state legislators have not given up on finding help for the small town. Mayor Pro Tem Nordquist said he is tired of hearing Armstrong’s empty promises.
Mayor Nordquist said the Hanna Recreation Center was constructed at a time when the town had a much larger population. With much fewer residents now, the mayor said state law makers aren’t willing to sink money into such a large facility.
Last August, in an attempt to take the financial burden of the rec center off the town’s budget, Hanna officials looked into turning the facility into a 501(c)(3) organization. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the rec center must generate at least 33% of its operational cost through membership fees to be eligible for non-profit status. At that time, only 11% of the cost to run the rec center was generated through memberships.
Town Clerk Vivian Gonzales said the rec center will close to the public at the end of July, after King Coal Days. Clerk Gonzales asked for volunteers to help her give the facility a proper send off. The clerk said the town plans to periodically allow special events to be held in the building.
The town’s current recreation director, Kim Connolly, is resigning this Friday. Clerk Gonzales said the town will try to keep the rec center open as much as possible until the end of July. However, the clerk said having only one employee means the schedule may be inconsistent.
Clerk Gonzales said the town will see if Carbon County School District Number Two wants any of the sports equipment in the rec center. Whatever is left over will be auctioned off by the town, said the clerk.
The council motioned to permanently close the recreation center. Attendees informed the governing body that permanently means forever. The council opted to use the word indefinitely instead.
As of July 31st, the Hanna Recreation Center will be closed indefinitely.
