BETTENDORF, Iowa — In a Tuesday, October 4 meeting, the Bettendorf City Council voted on three items necessary to move forward with their plans for a new recreation center on Middle Street.
The measures are part of the plan for "The Landing" — a proposal for a renovation of the Middle Park area that includes a new water park, ice skating rink and youth recreation center.
- Selling the Life Fitness Center to the YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley and transforming it into a new youth-focused recreation center
- A shared-use agreement with the YMCA on the new city-owned, YMCA-operated water park
- A Contract with RDG Planning & Design for the final designs of the new water park and ice skating rink
The Life Fitness Center in particular, which had to be sold to the YMCA for the plan to continue, is primarily used by seniors--a group of people who voiced their dissatisfaction in the public comment period.
"I just think you shortchanged us, and I realize not everyone is 89, but I am 89, and I like the fitness center. I like the people who work for it," one resident said.
"Why can the City of Rock Island operate a fitness center and the City of Bettendorf not be able to do the same?," another resident asked. "I am going to answer my own question; the City of Rock Island encourages their residents to use the facility."
Council members then gave their feedback, with one saying the fitness center's membership numbers and demand have decreased greatly, and another noting removing the fitness center may not be a great move while heart disease remains one of the biggest causes of death in the area.
In the end, the council voted to move forward with the proposals, with one member voting against the plan.
More From News 8
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel