By Carl Fauver | [email protected]

Just last week, the Taylorsville Recreation Center (4948 S. 2700 West) celebrated its 20 anniversary. A stroll through its spacious interior shows the facility – sandwiched between the Taylorsville County Library and the Gary C. Swensen Valley Regional Park – still looks about as shiny and new as it did when it opened, Sept. 27, 2002.

Unfortunately, the rec center also spends a lot of time – its Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation Department operators say, TOO MUCH time – looking empty.

“We’ve had to cancel a number of aerobics and yoga classes in recent months because we just don’t have enough people coming in for them,” Taylorsville Recreation Center Facility Director Tracey Gines said. “I’m trying now to find out what our community wants for health and fitness. I know this facility can serve their needs. And we can certainly handle many more people coming in. But, right now, we are still suffering from the slowdown that hit during COVID.”

Gines knows all about operating busy rec centers. Back when the Taylorsville facility first opened, the 29-year County Parks & Recreation employee was the facility director at the Holladay Lions Recreation Center in Millcreek.

“Holladay Lions was non-stop busy all the time,” she said. “I want to see this Taylorsville center just as busy.”

Gines is still getting her feet wet at the Taylorsville Recreation Center, where she just became director last spring.

“We have seven fulltime employees here, counting myself,” she added. “But when we get busy – particularly with the outdoor swimming pool in the summer – we sometimes have more than 100 parttime, seasonal employees.”

The outdoor swimming pool just north of the rec center is the largest such pool Salt Lake County operates. It’s normally open from mid-May to mid-August. It closes a bit earlier than some might expect because Taylorsville kids also typically return to school well before Labor Day weekend.

Another County employee keeping careful tabs on Taylorsville Recreation Center usership is Parks & Recreation Associate Director of Community Engagement Liz Sollis. She’s convinced area residents just need to look inside the local facility to be sold on it.

“People don’t know all the resources we have,” Sollis said. “This Taylorsville space is amazing. We want to make sure the public is aware of what all we have.”

County Parks & Recreation personnel work diligently to try to understand and stay on top of what residents want for their fitness and recreation needs.

“Last year we completed our third assessment since 2012, surveying residents about their recreation priorities,” Sollis added. “The assessment was conducted online – in English and Spanish – and was promoted through newsletters, social media and ‘City Journals.’ We learned residents top three priorities now are: walking and bicycling trails, programs accessible for people with disabilities and children’s playgrounds.”

Missing from that top three are specific suggestions for offerings at the Taylorsville Recreation Center, such as aerobics classes or pickleball courts.

As for what it currently features, the rec center includes a 45-foot rock climbing wall, two full size basketball courts, a large weight and cardio workout room, a multi-use room (for things like birthday parties), a group fitness room and something called a multipurpose court.

“The multipurpose court is used for indoor soccer and hockey,” Sollis added. “There are also large nets for baseball and softball batting practice. And we are thinking about trying a family roller skating night. The floor is perfect for that, too.”

In addition to looking at roller skating as something new at the Taylorsville Recreation Center, operators are also investigating whether the public would like to see pickleball courts operated on the gymnasium floor.

Back in 2018 – long before we’d heard of coronavirus – the Taylorsville Recreation Center averaged 264 patrons each day. Two years later, COVID-19 cut that total by more than half, to just 125 daily visitors. Of course, for a good part of that time in 2020, the facility was closed entirely. So far this year, rec center usage is back up to about 245 people per day.

At the moment, Sollis and Gines are investigating ways to survey Taylorsville residents specifically about what they would like to see offered at the Taylorsville Recreation Center. They may reach out to Taylorsville City to inquire about having a few rec center questions included in future surveys the city already conducts among its residents.

Until those survey details are ironed out, Tracey Gines would be happy to receive suggestions direct to her email ([email protected]).

Those wanting to “test drive” the Taylorsville Recreation Center can purchase a single day pass for just $6 ($3 for kids under 18). Annual center passes are now $114 for kids, $220 for adults or $340 for the first two members of a family. Additional members on a family pass are just $30 per year. There are also significant discounts available for seniors.

Birthday party packages are available that can include use of the climbing wall, batting cages or (in the summer) the outdoor swimming pool. Details are at 385-468-1732 or slco.org/taylorsville-rec.

Sollis also points out, “Regardless of whether one of our survey respondents has a family member with a disability, they are passionate about programs for people with disabilities. This has been true every year we’ve conducted assessments. Adaptive recreation is offered countywide. More information is available at slco.org/adaptive.”

“This is such a wonderful facility and it is just underused,” Gines concluded. “Taylorsville Recreation Center was built (20 years ago) to serve people living around here. So now I am determined to figure out what residents want – and how we can meet their needs more effectively.”