PROJECT HISTORY

In August,  the Sublette County Commissioners and all three councils of the incorporated towns, Big Piney, Marbleton and Pinedale, passed propositions to place a 1% Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) to raise $60 million on the November Ballot. If this one cent Special Purpose Excise Tax (a one cent sales tax) is passed by the voters in November the money collected through it will be used to build two separate facilities, a Recreation Center in the Big Piney/Marbleton (BPM) area and a Community Center in the Pinedale area.

The grass roots movement to build a Recreation Center in the Big Piney/Marbleton area started four years. Parents and citizens identified areas of concern in the community. They include a need for a facility in which after school programs can be held, a place where all ages in the community can gather for activities outside of the school system and an additional place in which to hold meetings. Later the need for a movie theater and a bowling ally were added to the list.

The Big Piney and Marbleton residents worked with the two town councils to determine if there was wide spread interest in building a  facility that would address these needs. Surveys were sent out with the water bills from both towns. Responses showed the citizens were interested in pursuing the idea.

The Pinedale Community Center project was also started by a grass roots group of local people.  Public meeting space had been at premium for some time prior to the influx of workers associated with the development of the gas field. When the library was moved to the new facility the old building was used for several years in an unimproved condition for numerous functions. Large and small fund raisers, weddings, auctions, meetings and high school dances were all held in the unoccupied space.

Two years ago a group of citizens from the Pinedale area approached the county for help to perform some needs assessment studies. Organizations, businesses and government agencies were asked to detail their needs for meeting space and if it was currently being filled. News releases were issued asking individuals to complete surveys to determine if interest in having a community center existed. The results were favorable.