A year removed from town hall meetings to gather input for renovation of Mountain View Recreation Center, 9749 N. 107th Ave., residents are eager for the project to get started.
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A year removed from town hall meetings to gather input for renovation of Mountain View Recreation Center, 9749 N. 107th Ave., residents are eager for the project to get started.
But they are going to have to wait a bit longer.
Residents Diane and David Haverman questioned the Recreation Centers of Sun City Board of Directors during its Dec. 9 meeting about when the project will get started and what would be included. Residents for years have clamored for the center to be converted to include a performing arts center, complete with professional sound and lighting equipment and theater-style seating, but the Havermans had other interests.
“The lap pool lanes are fabulous,” Ms. Haverman said. “Plans seem to call for a separate lap pool. We want you to preserve the lap pool length.”
Resident Kat Fimmel also echoed some comments in last year’s town hall meetings regarding the swimming area.
“The swimmers requested a separate lap pool,” she said. “And the water volleyball players wanted more space for their activities.”
Mr. Haverman, 2020 president of the Pickleball Club, was concerned about plans for the courts at Mountain View.
“We rarely see anyone on the tennis courts and there are about 30 people waiting for pickleball courts to open up,” he said. “We’d like to see an option to convert the tennis courts to pickleball courts.”
He added the renovated tennis courts at Bell Recreation Center, 16820 N. 99th Ave., could handle more tennis players.
The Havermans referred to architectural drawings of a planned renovation for Mountain View -- drawings they claim to have seen somewhere, but could not recall where. RCSC officials say no such drawings exist.
“There are no current drawings for plans of renovation,” said Sue Wilson, RCSC board member. “What you may be looking at are aerial views of the current center.”
Planning for the Mountain View renovation is expected to begin some time in the second quarter of 2020, according to Chris Herring, RCSC assistant general manager.
RCSC cardholders can request updates on the project at future board meetings. The next RCSC board meeting is 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19 in the auditorium at Sundial Recreation Center, 14801 N. 103rd Ave. This is one week earlier than the normal board meeting schedule due to the Christmas holiday next week.
RCSC officials conducted two town hall meetings Oct. 1, 2018 at Mountain View to gather community input on planned renovations at the center, one of the oldest centers in the community.
Mountain View (previously called Town Hall South) was constructed in 1967 and currently offers fitness, swimming pool and spa, tennis, pickleball, lawn bowling, mini golf and horseshoes. The center also includes a stage in the auditorium where the Sun City Players annually produce stage productions. The Mountain View auditorium is a multi-use hall that is antiquated and lacks modern theater lighting or professional quality equipment. Folding chairs need to brought out of storage and set up every time a play or other program is staged.
Shortly after RCSC officials switched meeting and agenda formats in April, Diana Graettinger, RCSC board member, requested the Mountain View project be added to the board’s agenda under unfinished business or future business categories monthly. The hope at that time was for RCSC management to present an initial renovation plan for Mountain View by December 2020.
However, Rich Hoffer, RCSC board member, reminded his colleagues that earlier in the year the board approved a motion to complete one project before starting another and the Grand Avenue property project was already underway and not projected to be completed by December 2020.
“I would support putting Mountain View on unfinished or future business without a specific date,” he said.
The board approved a reworded motion accomplishing just that.
Rusty Bradshaw News Editor | Sun City &
Sun City West @SunCitiesEditor
Rusty Bradshaw is a 40-year veteran of community journalism, having worked at newspapers in Wyoming, Oregon and Arizona. He has been with Independent Newsmedia 15 years.
Rusty earned a junior college certificate from Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming and a bachelor of science degree from Eastern Oregon University in LaGrande Oregon.
An avid football fan, Rusty also enjoys photography, reading, spending time outdoors and enjoying life with his wife. He also authored three books of fiction, “The Rehabilitation of Miss Little,” “Moist on the Mountain” and "Gorge Justice." Visit www.rustythewriter.org.
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