City of College Station Advances to Phase 2 of Recreation Center Feasibility Study

Published: Aug. 26, 2024 at 9:31 PM CDT | Updated : 16 hours ago

Transitioning to Phase 2

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The City Council of College Station recently directed the Parks and Recreation Department to commence with phase two of the ongoing feasibility study exploring the potential construction of a new recreation center. This decision was made after the phase one findings were presented to the city council members, leading to a unanimous consensus to progress the project further. However, no formal vote took place on this matter.

While this decision signals an advancement to the next stage, it does not necessarily mean that the city will be breaking ground for the recreation center at this time. Phase two of this feasibility study will mainly be centered around determining potential locations, analysing space program options, and rough cost estimates. Conversely, phase one study was largely focused on gathering public feedback on amenities and conducting a thorough market analysis.

Public Desire for Indoor Recreation Space

Data presented found a considerable public desire for additional indoor recreation space, especially in the form of an indoor pool. Numerous questions were raised within the council on the specifics of this potential development.

“We could better utilize money to expand existing recreation centers along with added necessary programming,” voiced City Council member William Wright.

Yet, certain council members voiced their concerns regarding the likely high costs associated with such an undertaking. City Council member Bob Yancy noted, “We’re probably looking at a cost in the tens of millions of dollars along with significant ongoing operations and maintenance costs. It’s a discretionary expenditure and that’s where my concern lies.”

Filling Information Gaps

Even council members who voiced approval for pushing the project forward expressed the need to fill in gaps in information, such as the current use of existing facilities.

Elizabeth Cunha, another council member, pondered, “What’s our average day capacity at the current pools? How many days did we turn people away because we were at full capacity? Clear answers to these questions would help us decide if we need an additional pool.”

Next Phase

The conversation around building a recreation center is not a new one. Councilman Yancy revealed that efforts for constructing a recreation center have been in the works for over a decade. These efforts may now be getting closer to becoming a reality.

“In the next phase, we’ll be considering ideas of extending current facilities or forming partnerships with other entities that might assist with both conceptualizing and financing some parts of the facility,” stated Mayor John Nichols.

Feasibility Study

It’s important to note that the feasibility study isn’t conducted by the city. In October 2023, the city council members approved a $180,768 contract with Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, a Dallas-based architectural design firm, to oversee both phase one and phase two of the study. ETC, acting as a sub-consultant, handled the citizen survey part of the study.