WECRD facility should include something for everyone

Dear editor:

I have been reading with deep interest the various letters in the paper concerning the WECRD recreation center.

If I may, I would like to put a few ideas out to the Western Elmore County community.

Before I start, just so you know who I am, I am a retired Air Force member who has lived in Hammett for close to eight years, works part-time for the Mountain Home School District as an elementary substitute teacher and as the high school's head tennis coach. I do these retirement-type jobs, not necessarily to earn money, but to work with kids and try to make a difference in their lives, as well as make some contribution to the community. I am looking for no laudatory comments on my part, but I am hoping that the community will seriously consider the ideas that I would like to put forth.

First and foremost, I want to commend Doug Belt, Mollie Marsh and Dee Pate for their tremendous effort and dedication in to trying to bring a recreation community center to Western Elmore County. I have sat down and talked with them a couple of times about their plans, the needs of the community, and the challenges they face in getting funding and what can be done. They are all working very hard to do the right thing for the community but are facing tough monetary obstacles.

My key concern about the recreation center effort is that the WECRD board is working off a community needs survey that was conducted about 10 years ago. As I understand it, the big push behind the survey then was to get support for the building of indoor swimming facilities to include a lap pool, therapy pool and a general play pool.

The complex would also have space for meeting rooms, exercise rooms, maybe even an auditorium or gym.

Unfortunately, the building of the recreational complex has not occurred, and because of increasing building costs, plans are being reduced. As I understand it, the plan now only includes the pools, locker room and maybe a multipurpose room -- basically the facilities to meet the need of the swimming interests in Western Elmore County.

Personally, I do not know the extent of the swimming need in the district, but I do have my doubts that there will be enough year-round participation, seven days a week, all-day usage of the facility, to meet the financial needs of maintaining and running the three pools.

Not everybody swims and there are other recreational interests in the community that are valid as well.

Due to my military assignments, I have lived in several communities around the nation and the world. Because of my daughter's involvement in tennis, I got the opportunity to visit several recreational complexes that support community recreational needs -- some are run by the city, others are privately owned.

The most successful facilities are those that have something for everybody. The facilities generally require a monthly membership fee plus small usage fees for indoor racquetball and swimming activities.

For Western Elmore County, I think a recreational facility should, yes, include some type of a indoor pool (not huge), but also include at least two indoor tennis courts, two racquetball or handball courts, a weight room, an exercise room, a climbing wall, a place to play basketball or volleyball, an indoor running track, an area where people can play maybe pool or table tennis and maybe a couple meeting rooms for classes.

We need a place for kids and adults to come and be part of a recreational community on a daily basis.

And, of course, I am pushing for a couple of indoor tennis courts to be included because I am the high school tennis coach and tennis participation is rapidly growing among the kids. This next season I expect to have close to 40 kids on the tennis team.

The school has no courts and the city has three. During the winter I arrange voluntary tennis opportunities for the kids to go to the Boise Racquet and Swim Club where I am a member. Having indoor facilities for tennis would be a great attribute for the kids and adults alike who want to play and/or wanting to learn to play. Tennis is a great lifetime sport -- you can learn it at any age -- and you do not have to be a great athlete to enjoy the game and sport camaraderie.

Having a tennis and racquetball facility included in the recreation center will increase participation, will have minimum maintenance requirements, and help provide usage income to counteract the costs of pool maintenance and management,

I realize people will say I want a "Cadillac," but I believe if you are going to spend money it needs be spent wisely for the benefit of all.

In the past 10 years the community has grown and changed. For these reasons, I believe it is in the best interest for all to reassess the recreational needs for Western Elmore County and build something that fits a larger majority of need in the community.

Because the current board is not interested in doing this, and I understand why and hold no malice towards them, I believe we need to make changes in the WECRD board make-up.

Expanding the board makes sense as well as getting new ideas on the board. If expansion of the board is not a possibility at this time, then I would encourage voters to support Leanna Whitney -- a realistic, knowledgeable person who believes in making things happen by working together -- as a community -- to find cost-effective solutions to meet current and future recreational needs of Western Elmore County.

Thanks for your time in reading my letter and I hope you will consider the ideas put forth.

Tamzy House