What to know about the $71 million Basin Recreation bond

Snyderville Basin voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to authorize borrowing for two proposed recreation facilities

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — Snyderville Basin voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to authorize up to $71 million in general obligation bonds to help fund new recreation facilities at Silver Creek Village and East Canyon.

The measure is the latest version of a proposal Basin Recreation has been developing throughout the year, following community surveys, public meetings and revisions prompted by concerns about the cost and scope of an earlier $150 million plan.

Here is what voters are being asked to decide and how the proposal reached the ballot.

What is on the ballot?

The measure asks voters within the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District whether the district should be authorized to issue up to $71 million in general obligation bonds.

According to Summit County’s official bond information, the bonds could be repaid over a period of no more than 20 years and would finance recreation facilities, related site improvements, trails and open space improvements within the district.

A vote in favor authorizes the district to issue the bonds. A vote against does not.

What would the current proposal include?

Basin Recreation’s latest plans call for two facilities.

A proposed Silver Creek Village facility would be approximately 68,000 square feet and include recreational aquatics, climbing and bouldering areas, child care and camp space, a flexible-use gymnasium, cardio and weight rooms, indoor track space, wellness amenities and multipurpose areas.

A proposed East Canyon facility would be approximately 20,000 square feet and include an indoor court, multipurpose community areas, recreation classrooms and restroom access serving outdoor recreation areas.

Basin Recreation has said the buildings would use modular designs that could allow for future expansion. The district projects the Snyderville Basin population will grow by about 20% over the next decade.

The bond vote authorizes borrowing. It does not constitute voter approval of final architectural plans for the facilities.

How did the proposal reach $71 million?

The current measure is significantly smaller than what Basin Recreation considered earlier this year.

TownLift reported in June that Basin Recreation was studying two recreation facilities totaling as much as 184,000 square feet at Silver Creek Village and East Canyon/Cline-Dahle. Aquatics, courts, climbing, turf, and fitness space were among the amenities under consideration.

The district continued gathering public input through open houses and surveys during June and July. A July community survey sought feedback on the proposed facilities as Basin Recreation worked toward a possible November bond measure.

By July, Basin Recreation was considering a general obligation bond of up to $150 million to construct the two recreation centers. TownLift reported then that the bond would cover construction, while future staffing, maintenance, and programming expenses would be funded separately.

That proposal changed following an Aug. 5 Summit County Council discussion.

Residents questioned the potential tax increase and the project’s scope, while council members also raised concerns about whether the proposal’s size and cost were appropriate. The council did not vote on the $150 million request, and Basin Recreation agreed to return with a smaller proposal.

On Aug. 13, the Basin Recreation board recommended reducing the proposed bond to no more than $71 million, less than half the earlier amount.

At that stage, the district said it expected bond funding to focus primarily on one indoor recreation facility with an aquatics component while officials conducted additional cost and design work.

The plans continued to evolve.

By a Sept. 23 Summit County Council public hearing, Basin Recreation was again presenting concepts for two facilities, but both were smaller than those considered under the original $150 million proposal.

Basin Recreation Executive Director Rob Parrish said the revised plans incorporated feedback from community surveys and public input.

The Summit County Council had authorized the special election on the $71 million bond proposal Aug. 19.

What would it cost property owners?

Basin Recreation estimates the bond would cost approximately $120.94 per year for a primary residence with a fair market value of $1 million.

Businesses within the district would pay an estimated $21.09 annually for each $100,000 of fair market value, or about $210.90 for a property valued at $1 million.

Those figures are estimates. Actual property taxes would depend on factors including taxable property values and the terms under which bonds are ultimately issued.

Why is Basin Recreation proposing new facilities?

Basin Recreation began the Better Basin planning process as it examined crowding at The Fieldhouse and future recreation demand.

TownLift reported in August that a district survey of 1,414 respondents found 61% said they had avoided The Fieldhouse because of crowding. District planning documents projected the service population would grow from 25,597 in 2026 to 30,709 by 2036.

Basin Recreation says its public engagement process has consistently identified additional fitness capacity, aquatics, climbing and indoor recreation space among community priorities.

What happens next?

Eligible voters living within the Snyderville Basin Special Recreation District will decide the bond measure in the Nov. 3 general election.

Summit County has posted information about the bond election on its website, including the district boundaries and official election notice.

Additional information about the proposed facilities and the Better Basin planning process is available through Basin Recreation.