Earlier this summer, I had the opportunity to hear Wilma Erven, the director of Culture and Recreation for the city of Delta, talk about how the Bill Heddles Recreation Center in Delta is used by many people in their community.

Wilma is an extraordinary person, who views the community recreation center as having a clear vision and purpose. She clearly equates having a community center with providing a better quality of life for the citizens of her area and provided numerous examples of how the community center is used by the citizens supporting its existence. “Having a center gives everyone an opportunity to attend for socializing, for fun times and for healthy exercise and activities,” she said. “But a community center isn’t all about workouts, there are lots of other activities. A community center is about life, not machines.”

She also commented on some of the misinformation and how important it is to get out the correct information. For instance, someone said building a center would take away from things Fruita needs, such as police and fire protection. Police services are funded through the general fund, The Lower Valley Fire District is funded through a mill levy and impact fees. A community center is funded by a 1 cent sales tax and user fee, its own separate fund, not from the general fund or any property tax. As Wilma put it, “Let travels and tourists help pay for the community center.”

I hope the current Fruita City Council values the work done in the feasibility study by professional consultants and community members, including previous councils and staff, which provide the design, scope, and financing of a proposed community center and also values the quality of life such a center can bring to generations of citizens. I urge the Fruita City Council to place the Community Recreation Center on the November 4 ballot.

DAVE KARISNY
Fruita

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