“If they had some more of these [multipurpose] rooms, there would be just less issues like that,” Marcus said. “I feel a little constrained, or it’s a little restrictive. If they actually had more space like this, ... we could offer more.”
The city of Georgetown will have a bond package on the Nov. 7 ballot that includes an expansion of the recreation center. If approved by voters, it could add additional multipurpose rooms, addressing Marcus’ space constraints.
In all, the bond totals $130 million and aims to address the city’s growing population and add facilities to accommodate it. Georgetown’s estimated population grew to 86,507 as of July 1, 2022—a 14.4% year-over-year increase, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released in May.
The big picture
Georgetown’s bond package includes four propositions—all centered around building, expanding and renovating city buildings.
City departments are in various leased office buildings across Georgetown, and City Manager David Morgan said staff has outgrown the spaces. Proposition A would fund construction of a new customer service center.
The Georgetown Recreation Center on Austin Avenue—last renovated in 2009—also cannot accommodate Georgetown’s increasing population.
Parks and Recreation Director Kimberly Garret said in the past four years, the center’s waitlist for indoor athletic leagues has grown from seven kids to over 300. Proposition B would expand the center, creating more space for programs.
Proposition D would help fund a new YMCA that would add indoor recreational options in west Georgetown, Morgan said. The bond funding would go toward construction costs, while the YMCA would pay for the remainder of construction and operations.
Meanwhile, the Georgetown Animal Shelter has also been experiencing capacity issues, Animal Services Manager April Haughey said.
To address these issues, the city of Georgetown aims to join the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. City officials said if Proposition C passes, it would show stakeholders Georgetown has the funding to join and expand the regional shelter. However, the proposition is written in a way that also allows an expansion to the city shelter if the regional partnership falls through.
The city’s last three bonds have all passed and have not impacted the tax rate. The 2023 bond also would not increase the city’s tax rate of $0.374 per $100 property valuation, Morgan said.
Proposition A: Customer service center, $56 million
This would fund a roughly 80,000-square-foot building that will serve as a “centralized city operations site.”
The building would house:
- A 311 call center
- Departments such as planning, permitting, engineering and information technology
It would fund a full renovation of the existing 65,000-square-foot facility on Austin Avenue as well as a 30,000-square-foot expansion.
The expansion would include:
- An additional gymnasium
- More multipurpose rooms and new classrooms
- A dedicated spin classroom
- A larger child area with an indoor playground
- Renovations to the indoor lap pool
Funding from this Proposition would be used to join and expand the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter or to expand the Georgetown Animal Shelter.
- WCRAS member cities and the county would need to agree to allow Georgetown to join.
- If the bond passes, but Georgetown, a member city or the county decide not to move forward with the partnership, the funds would be used to expand the current city shelter.
The funding would contribute to the construction of an approximately 55,000-square-foot YMCA facility at or near 6200 Williams Drive.
Amenities include:
- Fitness and wellness areas
- Multipurpose rooms
- A pool with recreational options and lap lanes
- A splash pad
“Georgetown’s population has more than doubled in the last 15 years. Many of our facilities really aren’t designed to serve a resident population of that size,” Georgetown City Manager David Morgan said.
“This is a unique opportunity to address projected growth, both for Georgetown and the [Williamson County] Regional Animal Shelter,” Assistant Public Works Director Jack Daly said.
What to expect
If all four propositions in the bond package pass, design work on the customer service center, the expansion and renovation of the recreation center, and the construction of the YMCA facility would begin as soon as possible.
Construction on some of these projects could begin by 2025, officials said.
Morgan said if any of the propositions fail:
- The city would need to lease additional space for operations
- There would be increased pressure on the existing recreational center
- The city would have to strive to keep its “no kill” status at the animal shelter
Animal shelter action plan
If Proposition C passes, these are the next steps for Georgetown to join the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.
1. Georgetown would seek approval to join the WCRAS from member cities.
2. Current member cities would then amend the WCRAS operating agreement to include Georgetown.
3. The WCRAS would use the Georgetown Animal Shelter for extra space until the expansion at its property is completed.
4. Once the expansion and the integration are complete, the Georgetown Animal Shelter facility would no longer operate as an animal shelter and be repurposed for another use.
