MURRAY — Local residents considering a New Year's resolution to get in shape won't have to wait until Jan. 1 to get started.
Beginning at 10 a.m. on Monday, it will not be so difficult to find — or expensive to pay for — a good workout in the middle of the Salt Lake valley.
That's when the Park Center, Murray's $12 million community recreation center, will open its doors. And admission for the first three days is free.
The 10,000-square-foot facility features two swimming pools, a huge basketball gymnasium, a weight room, a three-lane 1/8th-mile indoor jogging track, a fitness room, a spinning room and child day care.
"The facility was really designed around the pools and the basketball gymnasium," said Murray Parks and Recreation Superintendent Kim Sorensen.
"Those are the two key elements and the two elements that are really state-of-the-art and probably bigger than any of the other" public facilities in the valley.
The Park Center is located in Murray Park on the former grounds of the Salt Lake County Fair, just north of the Salt Lake County Ice Center at 200 E. Murray Park Blvd. Motorists can access the park and the facility at 330 E. Vine Street or at approximately 5000 S. State Street.
The family/leisure pool has a water slide and other activities for children. The other pool is a full-size, eight-lane competition pool. The weight room features both synchronized weights and free weights.
Treadmills are located throughout the recreation center, in part so parents can use them while watching their children swim, shoot hoops or play in the daycare center.
The basketball gym can be configured in various ways — as a full-size, NBA-regulation court; as two side-by-side recreation league courts; or as eight separate half-court playing areas.
"Our plan is to always have some of the basketball hoops available for the public" for practice or pick-up games, Sorensen said. "There will be structured play, but always a place to come in and play."
Adult recreation league and Junior Jazz games will be played in the gym. The jogging track overlooks the gymnasium.
Beginning Tuesday, the Park Center will assume its regular operating hours — weekdays from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
After the three-day free trial period, admission for all patrons will be $5 per day for adults, $3.50 for students ages 13-17, $2.50 for children ages 4-12, $4 for seniors 60+, and free for children under 4.
Murray residents will get a break on the cost of annual memberships: $200 for adults, $125 for students and seniors, $100 for children ages 4-12, $300 for an adult couple, $200 for a senior couple and $400 for a family pass.
Out-of-city resident memberships are: $250 for adults, $150 for students and seniors, $125 for children ages 4-12, $375 for an adult couple, $250 for a senior couple and $500 for a family pass.
The child-care center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon. The cost is $2 per hour.
Group fitness classes are $3 for Murray residents and $4 for non-residents. Lockers are available for general use.
The city borrowed money to build the facility and plans to pay off the loans from its general fund and revenue generated by the Park Center. Sorensen said the goal is to pay for all operating and maintenance expenses with the user fees.
E-mail: zman@desnews.com