MONTROSE – The Montrose Recreation District Board of Directors voted unanimously last week to purchase 26 acres of land for future public recreation amenities.

The purchase was made entirely from existing cash savings from the Rec District Conservation Trust Fund. Conservation Trust Fund dollars are the proceeds from lottery sales, which are distributed to local governments to support parks and recreation infrastructure. They are not tax dollars.

The land MRD has acquired is located at 16350 Woodgate Road, on the corner of Woodgate and Ogden Road. The total purchase price was $299,888. The property last changed hands on Jan. 14, 2006, for $985,000, prior to the economic downturn.

Besides being a good deal, “This land allows us to better meet the recreation needs of our community,” said MRD Executive Director Ken Sherbenou, in a release. “The last time we added outdoor recreation amenities was in 1995 when McNeil fields were constructed. Since then the population of Montrose has increased 71 percent, from 11,161 to 19,090.”

“We know from last spring’s election on Measure A that while there was a huge amount of support and excitement for a community recreation center, the majority of voters did not want to see an increase in their taxes,” ” said Board Member Barbara Bynum. “That is why we are so excited to acquire this land at such a discounted price. It allows us to grow within our existing budget.”

The Community Recreation Center process that concluded a year ago included a thorough site selection analysis by the architectural firm Barker Rinker Seacat, who designed the Recreation Centers in Gunnison and Cortez, among others. Over 30 potential sites for future recreation facilities were evaluated during that process. When the 26 acres of land at Ogden and Woodgate recently became bank-owned and greatly reduced in price, these sites were re-ranked. This property emerged as the No. 1 site. During the due diligence phase, the MRD confirmed that a recreation center is buildable and would work well on the site.

Board President Kevin Davis summarized the move, saying, “The size, location and cost just made a whole lot of sense.”

For more information, contact Sherbenou, MRD Executive Director at 970/249-7705; ksherbenou@montroserec.com or Ken Davis, MRD Board President, at 970/596-4108; kdavis@montroserec.com.