Fruita voters have the opportunity to support building a community recreation center by voting “Yes” to a sales-tax increase. While many support this effort, opponents have sadly misrepresented facts from other communities to create uncertainty in the minds of voters.

Fruita voters recently received a confusing letter that cited a facility in Aspen as “undermining” the local fitness facilities since its opening in 2003, and that “some were forced out of business.” In a follow-up conversation this week with Tim Anderson, Aspen Recreation Center, he reported that none of the local gyms in Aspen have gone out of business. He said the city recreation facility serves a different market than private fitness centers.

They even took a survey last spring to determine how many of their fitness users used to belong to a private facility and found it to only be about 5 percent, and that 5 percent came over because they could no longer afford the private club fees or the private club went exclusive.

Tim also worked in Golden when that city passed support for a rec center about 1990. Two private clubs that had issues with competition are both still in operation today. Again, the rec center serves a different population.

In a conversation with Cathy Metz, Parks and Recs Director of Durango, she
indicated that the city of Durango passed a sales tax increase in 1999 to fund the construction of a community recreation center. At the time of the vote, there was opposition from six private health clubs due to concern that the recreation center would unfairly compete and put them out of business. None of the private clubs went out of business due to the recreation center and Durango continues to promote healthy lifestyles with many fitness choices for all residents. The recreation center is the
gathering spot in Durango and widely used by the entire community.

I have been a member of a private club for more than 20 years and will continue to be a member of that club even with the passage of Issue A. Again, the rec center serves a different population and is not a threat to private enterprise.

I enthusiastically support a “Yes” vote on Issue A.

DAVE KARISNY
Mayor Pro-tem
Fruita

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