LAYTON -- One part-time gymnasium to serve this city of 62,000 people is not nearly enough, and now a councilman says it is time for Layton to draft plans for a new recreation facility.
Councilman Steve Curtis said he and several city officials recently toured other city recreation centers in northern Utah."It looks like something I'd like to propose," he told the City Council Thursday. The council listed a new gymnasium on its five-year capital improvements plan last winter. A gymnasium was included in the 2001-2002 budget year with a $1 million expenditure.
Layton recreation director Dean Allen has said he doubts that's enough money to build a gym, but he was just happy to have it listed on a five-year plan.
Curtis said the recreation department will now begin drafting a definite plan for a new gymnasium, to be presented to the council in the near future.
Besides sharing limited space with the Davis School District, Layton has half-ownership in the old armory, next to Central Davis Junior High School, at about 150 Golden Ave. However, that facility is in constant use from early morning to late night during the basketball season.
In fact, some teams in the city's newly formed "Itty Bitty" Junior Jazz League (second- and third-graders) must practice on Friday evening at the armory because no other open time is available.
Layton has considered building its new gymnasium either near the Surf 'N Swim on city property or south of the armory on Davis School District land.
Allen believes if land by the Surf 'N Swim were used, the city could save some money by possibly sharing dressing rooms with that facility. On the other hand, it also might make sense for the city to make the gymnasium a shared project with the school district.