Big Idea #4: Community Center and Recreation Hub near High School

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan survey has been exploring what recreation and park amenities people want to see in the future. The concept of a community center and indoor / outdoor recreation complex has gathered a lot of interest in the surveys during the visioning, Comprehensive Planning and now the P&R Master Planning.

What we know so far includes:

  • There is strong support for the idea of a multi-purpose community center complex of some sort.
  • People would ideally like indoor sporting options, pool facility and multi-use spaces.
  • The location people most consistently identify as best would be somewhere near the High School complex.
  • The economic analysis suggests Smithville can’t yet afford a major recreation complex (it’s expensive), but we can start to plan for it, and build facilities incrementally. It might take 5-15 years, so let’s start planning now.

The following diagram is the Hospital Bluff Character Area, with a parks and recreation overlay. This plan highlights possible areas for future development to the east and south of the High School complex, which could be ideal for a recreation hub and future community center.

We would love to hear your thoughts!

There is interest in a recreation hub near the High School, and this seems a favored location for a future community center. Given these big investments take time and money, what do you think is the best way to phase such an idea? What do you think should be the first and second steps?

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12 Comments

This town NEEDS this badly. Kids have nothing to do in the winter and desperately need a place to burn off energy. Plus everyone needs a pool

I’m fully in support of this community center. It’s long overdue and with all the new developments and families moving to town, it’s honestly necessary. I understand this comes with increase in taxes but I’m ok with that.

I think this would bring too many people to the small town of Smithville. It’s already getting crowded enough. Soon, it will feel like a city instead of a town. It is a great idea but my vote would be no. 🙂

When was last vote for a tax increase for this? What was the margin of fail? How many times has it been brought up for a vote? Has there been communication with the school to attempt to partner with future tax issues. I would love to see an outdoor pool first and then indoor facilities.

I’m currently paying monthly membership dues to drive to Gladstone Community Center to swim. 23 minute drive one way because there is no where close to swim. Same with my late teen kids. They have no where to play basketball. Our community needs a facility badly.

Smithville has needed this for a long time. We love the trails in the summer but need an indoor area for the kids to play in the winter. And clean water to swim in. The lake is great but when the beach is shut down all the time for E. Coli from the geese etc, I don’t want to take my kids to play in the water. We would love it if there was a splash pad included in the center as well. It sounds like a splash pad would be inexpensive and a good addition for little kids to have fun in.

My husband and I are currently members of a private gym with no access to a pool for myself or basketball court for my husband and we desperately need a rec center here that has those amenities!! We can’t wait!

Yes, yes, yes. Smithville has awesome outdoor rec options, and we desperately need something indoors for our long winters! Pools, courts, weights, gyms, fitness classes, the whole works! Long overdue for a fitness center in this area. 100% has my vote!

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MORE INFORMATION​

For more information about the City of Smithville’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan Project, please contact:

Matt Denton, CPRP – Parks and Recreation Director
107 West Main Street
City of Smithville
Phone: (816) 532-8130
parksandrec@smithvillemo.org