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Building starts on new Truckee center

Andrew Cristancho
Sierra Sun
Emma Garrard/Sierra SunThe Truckee Donner Recreation and Parks District has begun clearing the site of the new Truckee recreation center off Highway 89 north.
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Early work has begun to prepare the site of Truckee’s new Community Recreation Center.

Although the ceremonial groundbreaking will not take place until next May, General Manager Steve Randall of the Truckee Donner Recreation and Park District said such initial work as placement of underground utilities will begin before the snow flies this fall.

The work will begin as soon as the eight to 10 contractors that bid on the work come back with estimates. Randall said the deadline for bids is the end of August.



Before then, the district has begun clearing trees from the building site.

Located on a 13.5-acre triangle between the terminus of Donner Pass Road, Interstate 80, and Highway 89 north, the center’s first phases will include a double gymnasium, community classrooms and office space.



The park district secured funding Thursday, selling $25 million in bonds on the open market. The district has 30 years to pay back the money with a 4.95 percent interest rate.

Phase one, scheduled to be completed in two years, will include a 22,204-square-foot double gymnasium with an elevated running track, an 18,000-square-foot community facility, classrooms, a kitchen and baby-sitting facilities, according to staff reports.

Phases two and three, which could add another 20,000-30,000 square feet of space, would include a performing arts center and an aquatics center. The date that the theater and pool are completed would be determined by community surveys conducted by the park district.

The project’s potential traffic impact was assessed by Town of Truckee officials through a traffic-impact study. Truckee Senior Engineer Todd Landry said the first phase will only require a stop sign, but the following two phases would need a new roundabout next to the Forest Service station at a cost of $1 million.

“To keep infrastructure ahead of development” he said in explaining the need for a roundabout.

Entrance to the center would be gained from Pioneer Trail.

Roundabouts are either paid for by the developer or the town. In this case, the traffic improvement will be underwritten by all interested parties, including the park district, Pioneer Commerce Center and the Town of Truckee, Landry said.

The multi-acre parcel where the park district will build the center was donated by East West Partners in 2006.


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