Gypsum residents get a look at possible plan for revamp of area around the town’s golf course | VailDaily.com

News News | Oct 16, 2024

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Gypsum voters next spring may see a request for an ambitious plan to remake the area around the town’s golf course.

Town residents Tuesday filled the Gypsum Town Council’s meeting room to hear about the first draft of a plan that could significantly remake the area, including expanding the parking area and kitchen, building an events pavilion and creating a park and eight-court pickleball area. The draft plan also includes moving the pro shop and cart storage, taking out the current lap pool on the west side of the campus and replacing it with a “lifestyle” pool and bath house on the southeast of the property.

This all comes with a substantial price tag, of course.

Town officials and architect Craig Bouck — who led the town’s recreation project about 20 years ago – hired RA Nelson for a cost estimate that includes three years of inflation as well as permit and other fees. That estimate came out to $33.25 million.

Bouck noted paying for the improvements would require a bond election, with the bonds probably paid via a sales tax increase. Gypsum Town Manager Jeremy Rietmann noted that 40% of all sales tax revenue is paid by people from outside of town.

If voters approve, construction could take about 20 months, with everything finished in early 2028 after all the planning is finished.

Longtime Gypsum Town Council Member Tom Edwards told residents that the town’s recreation center was conceived the same way.

Edwards noted that the town’s residents evaluated the plan and its costs — $13.5 million at the time.

Town officials now are looking at something that offers something for residents from a place to host wedding receptions, graduation parties, enhanced pickleball facilities and more.

“This is where you get to decide,” Edwards said.

Part of that decision process is a survey. Those in attendance Tuesday were encouraged to fill out an on line survey. Other online input will be solicited when consultant Bill Ray attaches a web page to the town’s website.

Ray, who has worked for several area towns and special districts over the years, told the audience he wants to help the town “get out as much information as possible.”

To do that, he’ll set up a website, send out mailers, do a community survey and share information gathered at Tuesday’s meeting. That information will be shared with the Town Council and staff and the community.

As public input comes in, there’s a lot for town officials to figure out over the next several months. That input will determine whether or not there’s enough interest to go ahead with the work required to put together a bond election.

Beyond that, officials need to determine whether all the pieces presented Tuesday will be part of what’s presented to voters.

The second-most expensive of those pieces is the pool. That feature represents nearly $11 million of the project’s $33.25 million price tag.

Bouck Tuesday said town officials need to have “more conversations” with Mountain Recreation, which would operate the pool, noting there could be some staffing and other efficiencies in having an outdoor pool adjacent to the current recreation center.

In a Wednesday phone conversation, Town Manager Jeremy Rietmann shared that concern, noting that a Cotton Ranch resident who would live near the pool called it a “horrible” idea.

After the presentation, resident Lorie Everman said she believes the plan is essentially a done deal, and what was presented Tuesday is what residents will be asked to approve.

Fellow resident Steve Hoppin called the presentation “very exciting,” and said the cost seems fairly reasonable.

“I thought it would be closer than $50 to $55 million,” Hoppin said, especially considering that the cost of the recreation center in today’s dollars would surpass $30 million.

Resident Kent Pettit said the proposed plan was impressive, but didn’t seem to consider costs including where wedding and other guests would stay when in town.

Edwards said he hopes the town supports whatever comes from the public process.

“This is the type of thing that will make us the best community in the valley,” he said.

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