A rec center restart

We think the Cedar Rapids City Council made the right call this week when it hit the reset button on its search for a suitable spot to build a new Time Check Recreation Center.

The recreation center, which was badly damaged by flooding, is an important institution to the residents of the city's northwest side and beyond. It's absence at the heart of the neighborhood for three years has been deeply felt. Unfortunately, the city's effort to replace it has hit a snag.

After 18 months of site selecting, it's clear that public sentiment is solidly against a shortlist of proposed sites in or near Ellis Park. Citizens strongly believe that the park's beloved open spaces are the wrong place for new development.

So the Council has smartly abandoned the idea of an Ellis Park site, wiping the slate clean and opening a new discussion on possible alternatives.

We're intrigued by the idea being championed by Council Member Scott Olson, who represents District 4 on the northwest side. Olson suggests that a new recreation center be constructed on the grounds of Harrison Elementary School, which is surrounded by a considerable amount of open land, is an important neighborhood institution and was untouched by the 2008 flood. Harrison is on a list of Cedar Rapids elementary schools that could be closed due to enrollment declines.

Olson is among city leaders who want the school to remain open, and his proposal could allow the sharing of resources between the city and district that would benefit both the school and a future recreation center. The school closure debate has shone a light on the lack of cooperation and collaboration between the city and school district. Such a combined project could help forge a better relationship that could be beneficial to the community's future.

Council member Monica Vernon said she supports keeping the school open, but would rather build a recreation center in a higher-visibility spot, such as the site of the former Boys and Girls Club along Ellis Boulevard.

That site has its advantages, but it is also in the 100-year flood plain. The city has already rejected the idea of putting the center back in its original spot, citing the threat of flooding. Flood protection remains an uncertainty.

We urge citizens who have their own ideas to weigh in.

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