The Redmond Park and Recreation District has started construction on a new $49 million recreation center on the city’s east side. But after voters rejected a levy that would have paid to operate the facility when it opens in 2026, park district officials are scratching their heads about what to do next.

Voters in 2022 approved a bond measure to build the recreation center, but simultaneously voted down a funding levy for operations. Park officials came back in the Nov. 5 election with a scaled-down operations levy, but it was resoundingly rejected, with 67.4% of voters opposing it.

Park district leadership is still determining how to move forward, but said that the new center will open after construction wraps up in 2026.

“We are currently determining the next steps following the levy not passing,” wrote Executive Director Katie Hammer in an email. “We are considering adjustments (for the upcoming center), which may include modified operating hours or other operational changes. Unfortunately, this also means we must explore the possibility of closing the Cascade Swim Center.”

Cascade Swim Center, opened in 1979, is Redmond’s only public pool. The district has leased the swim center through 2028. It’s future beyond 2028 is in doubt, and Hammer previously said it would likely close earlier than that if the levy fails. It would have had reduced hours no matter the outcome of the levy.

Over the coming weeks, the park district will determine its next steps, focusing on balancing commitment to the community with available resources, said Hammer.

Though the new center will bring in revenue, the park district still expects it will need $1.4 million to run operations in the building’s first year, Hammer said in October.

The new center, a 56,000-square-foot building, will have two pools, an open fitness area, a gymnasium and fitness classrooms. The pools have already been dug out..

The park district has a permanent tax rate of 37 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The district has never had a local option levy, which is a temporary levy property owners pay to support operations.

The five-year levy that failed in the Nov. 5 election would have cost property owners 21 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, reduced from the 24 cents per $1,000 in the failed 2022 measure.

The levy was estimated to bring in about $1.2 million per year, allowing the district to operate the new facility seven days a week, from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, with six additional full-time staff members added to the district’s current 13 employees, Hammer previously said.

Hammer said in October that if the levy didn’t pass, the district would consider running it again on the May 2025 ballot.

Redmond park district operations levy fails