Grand Junction rec center adds $3.8 million outdoor package; contingency, programming and timeline updated

Presenters updated attendees that the new community recreation center’s outdoor facilities were advanced by a $3.8 million guaranteed maximum price change order and a major private donation, while roughly $400,000 in contingency remains for the overall project.

Speaker 2, the presenter, said, “We’re now at a $3,800,000 project for the upper facilities,” and credited a donation from Donna Patterson that allowed the team to add scope. The presenter listed included items such as upgraded turf, a lap-pool dive platform and an outdoor fitness strip; major outdoor alternates not yet funded include an outdoor climbing wall and an outdoor spa whose deep foundations and plumbing are already in place.

The presentation broke down key budget items and allowances: construction portion estimated near $3.384 million, soft costs and design holdbacks for about $415,000, a $25,000 FF&E line for soccer goals and an allowance of $709,000 covering three not‑finalized improvements (maintenance building, lap-pool jump tower and outdoor fitness turf). The pump house subcontract estimate was cited as reduced from an initial ~ $80,000 to $25,000 by building it in-house, and a monument sign design was value‑engineered down to about $37,000.

On contingency and next steps, Speaker 2 said the project holds roughly $400,000 in contingency, which also must cover anticipated change orders. The team identified several smaller alternates that could be added later—bench seating, shade structures, natatorium cardio shade and decorative finishes—and said some of those could be funded from remaining contingency or future grants. “At this point in the project, there’s about $400,000 left in contingency,” the presenter said.

Speaker 2 also reported a planned council action: staff will present a resolution next week asking the council to provide an easement to the Bureau of Reclamation to allow relocation or deconstruction of an irrigation lateral that currently affects the site’s irrigation planning.

Responding to concerns about competition with private gyms, Speaker 3 asked whether the rec center’s expanded fitness offerings would hurt local private operators. Speaker 2 said the project team negotiated membership partnerships and pricing deliberately to avoid undercutting private providers and that the facility will not offer personal training services. “We were not planning on having personal training within the facility,” Speaker 2 said, adding the center is intended to complement, not replace, private fitness businesses.

Staff provided usage and membership projections: average daily participation was estimated at about 1,100 and total memberships approximately 6,300 across adult, senior and family passes and program partnerships such as SilverSneakers and Renew Active. Speaker 2 said negotiations with those program administrators produced better reimbursement terms and that both programs will be offered.

On schedule, Speaker 2 said staff expect an opening in late 2026, with a probable target around September if timeline and funding align. The team also described design features aimed at increasing class capacity, such as garage doors that allow indoor‑outdoor group fitness programming.

The presentation closed with site-visit logistics: attendees were asked to pick up cotton vests and eye protection before touring the site. No final council vote on the outdoor package was recorded in the meeting; the presentation described change orders already executed and a planned council resolution regarding the irrigation easement.