This is part 1 of a 3-part series.

KIMBALL -- In the March 19 City Council meeting, two Kimball High School students presented two months' worth of research as to why Kimball needs a recreational center. 

Senior students Aspyn Kiefer and Jessica Terrill say it has become increasingly difficult for students to share the school facilities due to lack of space. There are more than 15 different sporting teams in the Kimball Public School District sharing the high school facilities. 

The new facility would allow for an additional entertainment spot for kids and young adults to hang out at and provide amenities to accommodate the elderly community members. 

As part of the research, the students sent out a survey about the prospect of a recreational center in Kimball, in which 372 community members responded. 

Ninety-six percent said they or their family would enjoy a recreational center in Kimball, Ninety-four percent said the center would improve the overall health and fitness within the community, 90% said a recreational center would benefit their mental health, and 28% said they would buy a membership. 

The top 5 amenities that community members voted for the recreational center to include are a pool, basketball court, walking trail, pickleball court and ping-pong tables. 

Ninety percent said having a recreational center would improve the schools’ sports program, 82% said they would use the space for clubs and school events, and 89% said they would use rooms for hosting parties, ceremonies, celebrations, etc. 

The students even drew up a blueprint for a spot in Gotte Park where the center could be built – in the big open space next to the sand volleyball pits. 

For their presentation, the students used the slogan “If you build it, they will come.” 

“That is a large thing we stand by, that if we build things then it will grow our community. It will give people something to do, and the kids will have somewhere safe to go,” Terrill said. 

Mayor John Morrison gave his input on the possibility of a recreational center in Kimball. 

“We have to figure out how we get it built and once we get it built, we have to figure out a way to run it so it’s not a burden on the city,” Morrison said. “I don’t necessarily feel that it has to completely pay for itself because like the pool, we pay some money for the pool too on a yearly basis; it’s in the budget. But it can’t be a real heavy burden.”