Thursday, February 12, 2026 |
Photo – Hanna Recreation Center – Bigfoot99 file photo
A group of Hanna residents have created a nonprofit organization to partially reopen the town’s shuttered recreation center.
During Tuesday evening’s Hanna Town Council meeting, Recreation Board member Dorn Hetzel announced the formation of the Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center. Hetzel said the nonprofit organization plans to take over operations of the closed rec center from the town. As a small organization, Hetzel added that their goal is to only reopen portions of the building.
Built in 1983 during the coal boom, the Hanna Recreation Center was intended to attract miners and their families to northern Carbon County. The 31,000-square-foot facility included a heated pool, weight room, racquetball courts, saunas, and a large gymnasium. As the coal mines began closing in the early 2000s, the town took ownership of the building. Originally intended to serve thousands of residents, by 2024 the facility only had roughly 30 paid members left. Although officials tried to find a way to reduce the town’s financial burden, the $300,000 in annual operational costs were too high to sustain, and on July 31st, 2024, the Hanna Recreation Center was officially closed to the public. Since its closure, the building has remained vacant and fallen further into disrepair.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Dorn Hetzel explained that the Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center is made up of three members: himself, Carbon County Comet owner Mike Armstrong, and fellow resident Katrina Powell. As a nonprofit organization, Hetzel said they can use volunteers to run the rec center, lowering operational costs even further.
Since the facility would be staffed entirely by volunteers, Hetzel said the exact hours of operation are still undecided. He noted that the group is hoping that rec center members will volunteer their time to help support the initiative.
Hetzel said he submitted paperwork for the group to become a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Once approved, the Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center can begin fundraising and applying for grants to operate the facility.
In exchange for a $1 annual lease, Hetzel asked the town to donate water, sewer, and landfill services. The nonprofit will cover all other utilities, including gas and electricity.
When the facility was shuttered, the heating lines were drilled to drain the water and prevent them from freezing and rupturing. Restarting the main system would require repairing all the plumbing, which Hetzel said he has no intention of doing. Instead, he plans to run hot water lines directly to the restrooms to protect them during the winter.
Although the facility will not be heated, Hetzel said the building should remain warmer than the outside air. Additionally, he suggested that members may have access to the saunas in exchange for a small donation to cover electricity costs.
Hetzel addressed the issue of liability. The nonprofit founder explained that the Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center can provide insurance for its volunteers and members. However, Hetzel said the organization is unable to cover the building itself. Consequently, the town may need to continue carrying the facility under its governmental property insurance policy.
Hetzel explained that all members will be required to sign a liability waiver before using the facility. Due to insurance constraints, the nonprofit founder said only adults will be permitted to access the recreation center for the foreseeable future.
The Hanna Town Council expressed approval of the Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center’s proposal but said the town attorney must review the details before the Council signs off on the project. A special work session has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 17th, at 6:00 p.m. in the Hanna Town Hall to allow the governing body to continue discussing the agreement.
