HIGHLAND — A man interested in seeing a $20 million public recreation center built for north Utah County residents is taking his idea on the circuit.

Manila resident David Perkins has already asked Highland officials about it and plans to plead this month with city councils in Alpine and Cedar Hills and the Alpine School District Board of Education to commit $4.5 million each. He's also asking American Fork and Pleasant Grove for $1 million each and the State Division of Facilities, Construction and Management for a land donation.

Perkins envisions a multiple-use fitness center that would be located in Highland just south of Lone Peak High School and north of the Utah Developmental Center on a 25- to 30-acre piece of property presently owned by the state.

He hopes to see a facility that offers families a variety of recreational opportunities including a swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, a jogging track, ball fields and an ice rink.

"This is something that has been bugging me for the past five years," Perkins said. "I grew up in Highland, and Highland needs this," he said.

"It's an investment in our youth. We already know 75 to 80 percent of the people in this area want to see something like this," Perkins said, referring to a recent resident survey taken by Cedar Hills.

Perkins said he's willing to do the leg work to get all of the parties together. He has already talked with a Salt Lake architect who will draw up preliminary sketches once the parties involved agree to the concept. He expects the center would take four to six months to design and 14 to 18 months to construct.

The response to his plan has been guarded so far.

Highland Mayor Jess Adamson said he would be surprised if the state willingly donated the land.

"We've worked with them in the past, and I wouldn't count on a donation from them," Adamson said.

Councilwoman Kathryn Schramm said Highland's share of the cost — $4.5 million — would represent the city's total annual budget.

Councilman Glen Vawdry said since American Fork has its own recreation center and Pleasant Grove has a municipal pool, he didn't think they would be interested in participating.

"Twenty million is a lot of money," Adamson said.

Alpine officials say they want to wait and see how Cedar Hills and Highland vote, and school district officials told Perkins they want to see the cities' input first.

State Division of Facilities Construction Management official Ken Nye said any sale or donation of state land would require approval from the Legislature.

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