Lindon scales back recreation plan

LINDON — Rather than ratchet up taxes to pay for a new recreation center, the Lindon City Council decided to keep plans small.

The city's governing body will pursue plans to build an aquatics center and save for later plans to build a large recreation center.

With that decision, the city also rejected the idea of putting a question on the ballot about a general obligation bond that would have paid for the projected $18 million project.

"The mayor and council did not want to put any additional burden on the citizens of Lindon, so they decided not to put that question on the ballot," said Lindon City Administrator Ott Dameron.

In several surveys during the past several months, Lindon residents responded favorably to the possibility of an aquatic and recreation center and even to the potential of paying higher taxes to build them.

However, the City Council decided that after receiving higher-than-expected tax notices from Utah County and the rise in property taxes, it wouldn't be wise to increase that amount again, Dameron said.

Instead, the nearly $7 million aquatic center will be paid for out of a sales tax bond.

Currently, sales tax is being directed to park improvements, Dameron said.

However, with the increasing growth of 700 North as a potential sales tax base, it's very possible the city could afford to build the recreation center in several years without a tax increase for residents.

Lindon has contracted with VCBO Architecture, which will finish the feasibility study then hold another public hearing.

Optimistically, construction should begin in spring 2008, and "hopefully we'll be swimming in it by the spring of 2009," Dameron said.