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Option two of three proposed redesigns of the Marshall White Center in Ogden. The future of the facility is focus of a public gathering on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

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Option one of three proposed redesigns of the Marshall White Center in Ogden. The future of the facility is focus of a public gathering on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

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Option three of three proposed redesigns of the Marshall White Center in Ogden. The future of the facility is focus of a public gathering on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021.

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OGDEN — Three proposals to rebuild the Marshall White Center have emerged as debate intensifies over the future of the Ogden recreation and community center.

Even so, there’s no guarantee any of them will serve as a blueprint for a new-and-improved facility. City leaders have not yet settled on a plan of action on the Marshall White Center’s future, and how to fund a new facility — if that’s the ultimate route — is a big question mark.

That said, the proposals, which emerged from the efforts of the Marshall White Advisory Committee, offer a peek into the possibilities. The advisory committee was formed to assist city leaders on planning for the future of the aging Marshall White Center, located at at 222 28th St. and serving the low- to moderate-income area around it.  A coalition pushing for change is hosting a “community conversation” on the issue at the facility on Saturday starting at 6 p.m.

Sean Bishop, the chairperson of the advisory committee, said the three proposals incorporate feedback from a survey on the Marshall White Center’s future of over 1,100 people, reflecting what they think is important. He thinks chances are good some incarnation of the plans could serve as the basis for a new facility. Beyond that, he sees a need.

“Ogden is unique in not having a state-of-the-art recreation center that’s public,” he said.

Still, some city council members have questions. Councilperson Marcia White wonders if things beyond just recreational offerings, like a childcare center or some sort of health clinic, could be incorporated into a reimagined facility.

The city needs to do something, she said, “but I don’t know what that something is.”

Likewise, Bart Blair, chairperson of the city council, thinks the Marshall White Center needs to be revamped.

“At some point, it’s going to happen. The Marshall White Center needs to be repaired, needs to be updated,” he said. “We’re just trying to gather the information we need to figure out the next best step.”

The renderings depicting the reimagined Marshall White Center that emerged from the efforts of the advisory committee, created by VCBO Architecture, don’t have dollar amounts attached to them. But they at least offer a vision of what could be. The proposed facilities under the varied scenarios are all larger than the existing 37,000-square-foot facility:

Option one: The facility would measure around 46,000 square feet and incorporate the existing gymnasium area. It would have a new boxing area, fitness studio, locker area, kitchen and classrooms. An upper level area would contain another fitness studio and a weights and cardio area. The rendering shows no pool.

Option two: The facility, measuring 60,000 to 67,000 square feet, would contain much of the same offerings as option one, but it would be completely new and also include an indoor pool.  The gymnasium would be larger, as would the upper-level fitness and cardio area, which would also contain a walking/jogging track.

The rendering shows an alternative option with an outdoor recreation pool.

Option three: This is the largest of the options, measuring 74,000 square feet and would be completely new. It would contain an indoor pool and the other offerings of option two, but have a larger upper-level cardio and fitness area, along with a walking/jogging track and a spin studio.

Like option two, it also has an alternative with an outdoor recreation pool.

All three options incorporate a soccer field on the grounds outside the Marshall White Center into the plans.

Bishop suspects a new facility would have a price tag of around $30 million and he sees possibilities for funding. There’s the revenue the city gets from Business Depot Ogden operations as well as American Rescue Plan funding from the federal government, which could potentially be tapped.

For White, though, funding is a big piece of the puzzle that still has to be resolved.

“The issue will remain of what can the city afford?” she said. “Not that it’s not deserving — it’s a fairly large expense.”

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