The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Money could be there for turf field at CBCS next year
By Mark Reaman
In an effort for the planning consultant to incorporate recent community and subdistrict feedback on its regional recreation master plan, the Gunnison County Metropolitan Recreation District (MetRec) board of directors is now expecting to see an updated final draft in early 2025.
The initial master plan draft from Norris Design drew some scrutiny after its release included the possibility of an $83 million recreation center for the North Valley. While no location for such a facility has been considered, the expectation is that it would take a public vote in 2026 to fund the rec center at the earliest.
“The community needs to understand that the master plan is much more than just the rec center for the North Valley,” MetRec executive director Derrick Nehrenberg said at the November board meeting. “The top priority right now is rec paths at both ends of the valley. The second priority is more fields which we have heard is a need for a long time. The third thing would probably be some sort of multi-use indoor rec facility in the north end. Fourth would be the expansion of the Gunnison Rec Center. Fifth is elevating the current recreation grant programs and the sixth priority would be updating existing facilities.”
Nehrenberg said there was still quite a way to go with recreation planning in the community. He noted that the town of Crested Butte and the city of Gunnison were both expected to start their own rec planning process in the next year.
Nehrenberg did say MetRec has $1.5 million in north subdistrict reserves and some of that could be used to help fund a potential turf field at the Crested Butte Community School. He did emphasize the school district has some decisions to make before that would become a reality.
“I’m excited there are some shovel-ready projects coming up that we might be able to assist,” said MetRec board chair Cassia Cadenhead.
Nehrenberg said he would have more information about that possibility at the January meeting.
