Planning is moving forward to construct a community recreation center in Grand Junction that could be funded in part by an increase in sales taxes.

The Grand Junction City Council adopted a community recreation center plan for a facility to be constructed at Matchett Park with funding by taxes on cannabis sales and a proposed 0.15 percent sales tax increase that could appear on the municipal election ballot in April.

“At meetings and in response to the survey, community members were very clear about the need for a community recreation center,” said Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout. “We believe this plan is a strong one. And with the support of our community in April, we hope to see the Grand Junction Community Recreation Center finally become a reality.”

The city council is scheduled to review a draft ballot proposal at a Dec. 7 meeting. If approved, the measure would appear on the April ballot.

Early in 2021, the council adopted a parks, recreation and open space master plan in which a community center was the highest priority.

Early this year, the city commissioned a study conducted by professors from Colorado Mesa University that showed strong support for a community recreation center and a willingness to fund a center.

The council appointed a subcommittee of members of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board with Dr. Bill Findlay as chairman and charged them with guiding the creation of a community recreation center plan.

The advisory board made several recommendations to the council on the site location, building size and funding plan for a community recreation center.

The board further recommended the council adopt the center plan and direct staff to draft language for the ballot measure.

“The planning for the CRC builds off decades of previous studies and lessons learned about the process to engage the community in the decision-making process. One of the goals of the 2022 CRC plan was to retain the best aspects of previous plans and bring the strongest possible plan to the community for consideration,” Stout said. “We believe Dr. Findlay and members of the PRAB have done just that.”