Lack of gym space forces the Idaho Falls Rec Center to turn away 12 basketball teams
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - For 85 years the Idaho Falls Recreation Center has been providing a space for community members to come together and engage in different activities, and sports, especially basketball.
For Idaho Falls neighbor Erin Clifford, it’s been part of her basketball-loving son’s life since an early age, “a lot of these boys, they played for years. and years, and years for my son, he's played since he was in kindergarten.”
For Carson Clifford, it’s something he looks forward to every year “we've been talking about playing ever since last season ended.”
The season was shattered for twelve Idaho Falls Rec basketball teams, including Carson's, Wednesday morning. An email was sent out by the recreation supervisor Robert Abreo stating that "due to the high demand and very limited gym space this year, we will not be able to accept more teams for this winter basketball high school league.”
The email goes on to say that it is an issue they will address and try to avoid next year. The supervisor even offered a possible league that would run later on next year for those who were unable to play this winter.
Another option of playing for the YMCA's Saturday league was also offered.
"That's an option but once again the facilities aren't great, it's not a hardwood floor. It's down at the bottom of the YMCA. It's a concrete floor and that's not ideal to play on either, but it does give them an option to play which we are grateful for," said Clifford.
Idaho Falls Parks and Rec director PJ Holm, said that the rec center typically doesn't have a problem with spacing thanks to their contracts with various schools
"We have plenty of gyms and access to that it's just a matter of us being able to get the schedules out and scheduling. With the program kind of being so large that it almost outgrows our, our staff and, and our resources," said Holm.
Holm also says that the parks and rec is currently conducting a master plan, keeping in mind the cities growth. A timeline for future changes will be available once the plan is done.
