The Recreation Centers of Sun City Strategic Alternatives Committee found some not so surprising information while reviewing utilization statistics for rec center facilities.
Pickleball use has steadily increased over the years while other activities have seen a decline.
Gary Osier, a former member of the Long Range Planning Committee, presented the capacity utilization analysis prepared by the LRPC in 2021 that was based on the pre-COVID test period of 2015-19. Significant long-term downward trends in utilization of tennis, bowling and lawn-bowling were contrasted with an upward trend in pickleball, according to John Fast, SAC co-chairman. The LRPC intended the results of this analysis to prompt provision of additional capacity for activities with high utilization and rising participation trends or the compression or consolidation of space involving under-utilized activities, he added.
For pickleball, the LRPC recommended expanding club hours and analyzing the cost and benefit of enclosing and climatizing the pickleball pavilion at Marinette Center, 9860 W. Union Hills Drive.
Chris Herring, RCSC director of operations, presented several significant inputs, including an updated record of utilization of the amenities currently housed at Mountain View Center, 9749 N. 107th Ave., based on more useful capacity calculations than used in the LRPC analysis. He also presented a 2022 usage report for the Mountain View auditorium, a 10-year monitored activity report, a 12-year club membership comparison and a utilization summary for all 29 reservable, flat-floor spaces in RCSC centers.
While the data requires further examination and analysis, some key points emerged, according to Karen McAdam, SAC co-chairwoman. This input included RCSC rec centers were used more than 1 million times in 2022, the current RCSC social halls and meeting rooms are utilized at just more than 30% of the time available from 8 a.m. to closing and since 2013 pickleball has seen a steady increase in yearly usage from approximately 12,000 to approximately 70,000.
The SAC will meet weekly, 2 p.m. Fridays at Oakmont Center, 10725 W. Oakmont Drive, through the summer. It is expected to make a report of its recommendations to the RCSC board in September. The May 19 meeting featured a presentation by RCSC board member Jeff Darbut with updated facility usage figures and The Players Club use of a proposed performing arts center. Information on that meeting was not available at press time.
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