Level Up:
Pella's Indoor Rec Center
Envision the Pella Rec Center transforming our community’s future! This year-round hub will offer sports, fitness, leisure, and social spaces, bringing people together and promoting wellness. It will transform lives across generations, meet local recreational needs, attract visitors through tournaments and events, and drive economic growth.
Discover the Pella Indoor Rec Center
The Pella Indoor Rec Center is designed to cater to all ages and fitness levels. Our facility features a competition swimming pool for serious swimmers, a recreation swimming pool for family fun, a fully-equipped cardio workout area, an indoor walking track, multiple gymnasiums of various sizes, a challenging bouldering wall, and a dedicated kids play zone. Experience the best in community recreation and wellness at Pella.
Pella Rec Features:
With guidance from a volunteer committee of 11 Pella residents, the design of the Pella Rec Center was thoughtfully crafted to accommodate different age groups and fitness levels.
- 8-lane competition swimming pool (with viewing area)
- 4 basketball courts (can convert to 8 volleyball or 12 pickleball courts)
- 3-lane walking/running track, weights (free weights – weight machines)
- cardio area (treadmills – ellipticals – stationary bikes – etc)
- 2 fitness room
- 50-foot bouldering wall
- leisure pool (zero entry – 2 story slide – resistance channel – play features)
- multipurpose room (parties – meetings – gatherings)
- concessions
- child watch area
- green space
- 390 parking spaces (230 on the north, east and west sides; 160 south side of building)
Project Details:
Like many larger City projects, the Rec Center bid is divided into a base project and alternative (additional) options.
The goal: to construct a facility with the base plan and alternative #3.
The base plan for the Rec Center includes:
- 8-lane competition pool
- 2 gymnasiums
- 3-lane walking track
- Bouldering wall
- Locker rooms
- Multipurpose room
Alternative Options:
- Alternative #1: Adding a 3rd gym
- Alternative #2: Adding a 3rd and 4th gym
- Alternative #3: Adding a 3rd and 4th gym, and a recreation pool
Download a printable flyer of the Pella Rec Center.
Project Impact:
The City of Pella hired a company called Ballard King & Associates to analyze how well the Pella Rec Center could make money and attract visitors. They looked at plans for the Rec Center and focused on potential events like swimming, basketball, volleyball, and pickleball tournaments.
Here’s what they found:
- Number of Events: 28
- Number of Days with Events: 48
- Total Attendance: 34,032 people
- Estimated Economic Impact: $4,900,790
In other words, the Rec Center will bring a lot of people to Pella and significantly boost the local economy.
Read the full analysis here.
The PACE (Pella Area Community & Economic Alliance) Board of Directors supports the full build of the Pella Rec Center and the extension of University Street given the positive impacts on the Pella area. The Pella Rec Center will serve our community and employees of our companies by attracting and retaining them in our area. It will also bring in visitors to our community for single and multi-day tournaments, supporting our small businesses and hotels. Additionally, the extension of University Street will support the infrastructure needed for housing and commercial development along Oskaloosa and University Streets.
