The public is debating the Coralville Recreation Center’s future choices

Coralville, Iowa – Coralville is expanding, and local leaders believe it is time for a civic facility to keep up with the times.

During an open house at City Hall on Tuesday, the public got the opportunity to view two potential futures for the Coralville Recreation Center.

Renovating and expanding is the first choice; demolishing and building new is the second.

There isn’t much of a financial difference between the two.

“The new option would be between $50 and $55 million. And the renovated addition would be between $52 and 56 million. So they’re both very equal in pricing,” said Sherri Proud, the Parks and Recreation Director for Coralville.

The amenities in a new construction and a refurbishment would be same, with very slight variations in terms of design or layout.

“We’ve grown since they built the recreation center,” said Proud. “We were a town of about 7,000 people. And now we are a town of almost 24,000 people. So we really need some more space. And our schools have grown, and they need more space for their swim teams.”

Three schools currently use the pool at the Rec Center, which is part of the nearly 40-year partnership between the Parks and Recreation Department and the Iowa City Community School District. After the upgrade, a fourth is supposed to be added.

On Monday from 5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Coralville City Hall will host another open house.