EAGLE MOUNTAIN -- Almost 600 Eagle Mountain residents responded to an online survey about the possibility of a new aquatics center.

The survey, which was the third done by the city, closed last week with 67 percent of the respondents agreeing that there is a need for a citywide aquatics/recreation center in Eagle Mountain.

"The last survey we conducted was shortly after The Ranches HOA had tabled their plans for a recreation center. We felt this skewed the results negatively because it was clear that people did not want to pay for two rec centers. In our new survey, the majority have expressed that they want a rec center and are willing to pay what we are proposing to construct it," said Mayor Heather Jackson.

In August, the council voted unanimously against putting the proposal on the November ballot, much to the disappointment of a committee of volunteers who worked for more than a year on a rec center proposal.

Lynette Rose, parks and recreation board chairwoman said, "The original cost of around $18 million for the whole rec center was way too much to bite off at once so the council asked us to go back and work it in phases."

Rose said the new proposal duplicates the Lindon center with a six-lane pool, a lazy river and a pool for the little kids.

Jason Walker, management analyst for Eagle Mountain, said the city voted against going to a bond election because they didn't feel they had enough information.

"This survey got more specific on what the residents were willing to pay," he said.

In this survey, residents were asked if they would pay $5.74 per month, with 51 percent answering yes, and 17 percent saying they would be willing to pay even more for an indoor facility. Of the remainder of the respondents, 38 percent voted no and 4 percent were undecided.

Another question was, "If you want an indoor pool, what monthly property tax assessment would you vote for?"

Most respondents said they were willing to pay between $10 and $15, with a small percentage willing to pay up to $20 per month. It was close, however, with 45 percent saying they do not want an indoor facility at all.

"I don't feel at this time that the city is ready to take on this type of project.There are many other pressing needs," was one of the anonymous comments posted on the survey.

"I think the city should not be spending taxpayer money on a facility that will be used by only a fraction of the population.I am very strongly against this proposal," said another resident.

Walker, who analyzed the results, said that many of the comments for the center were asking why the process was taking so long, while those against were asking why the city keeps doing surveys.

"The sooner, the better!" was one comment.

"We need this rec center! I'm tired of giving my money to other cities, and tired of having to drive out of Eagle Mountain," said another.

Jackson said that she was pleased that the responses fit the demographics of the Eagle Mountain area. By the time the survey closed, 204 people had responded from City Center, 333 people responded from the Ranches and 30 people said they were from "other."

"This is a good demographic sample," Walker said.

Now that the results are in, the City Council has the opportunity to take the issue to the citywide bond election in June 2010.

The public is welcome to attend a meeting with the parks and recreation committee to discuss the survey results at the city building on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

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