New role studied for Sandy's old city hall

SANDY — Sandy's 82-year-old former city hall could be restored — but what its role would be in the south valley suburb is unknown.

Ideas like a children's library, community center, museum, senior center or youth after-school programs were tossed around Tuesday at a city planning meeting. There, the City Council approved a request for bid proposal for a consultant to study what to do with the old building at 440 E. 8680 South in Sandy's historic district.

"If we decide to save the old city hall, which I think if it makes sense, I'm for it, what will we do with all the space?" Councilman Chris McCandless asked. "If we restore the city hall, we have twice as much space as we need."

Sandy has $28,000 available to study uses for the building. Currently, the city's Parks and Recreation Department is housed there as well as the Sandy Boys and Girls Club.

But Parks and Recreation will be moving out of the building by early 2009, when a new building for the department is expected to be finished at the Alta Canyon Sports Center site, which the city acquired a few years ago. And whether or not the Boys and Girls Club will stay in the location is unknown. The building's old configuration has caused awkward space issues.

"The way it's built right now, it's not functional for the needs that I have," said Linda Martinez Saville, a councilwoman and director of the Sandy Boys and Girls Club. Saville said a proper youth center needs spaces for counseling and even a room for kids to play music and other activities. "Right now, I have all of that in three rooms and it's crazy.

"If this isn't the right place for the Boys and Girls Club, then we'll move on," Saville added. The study will look into whether or not the club is best suited for the building, built in 1925 and once used as a school building.

Council members seemed particularly keen on an after-school or youth program, but Nancy Shay, the Parks and Recreation director, noted her department has tried it with little success.

"After-school programs, we have. We've done after-school programs. We did them in the schools, the schools wanted us out, and there was no interest in the programs," she said, adding her department could even work on some of the ideas the council brought up. "We can be a success here and bring some of these options."

Although there is a long list of uses for the building, community-based projects were of importance to the council.