Provo • Voters will decide in November whether the city should borrow $39 million to build a new recreation center.

The Municipal Council on Tuesday approved a resolution setting up details for the Nov. 2 bond election. Earlier this year, the council approved the language for the bond question.

Proponents said a new center is needed to replace three existing structures that have outlived their usefulness. The new building, which will be built at North Park, would replace the Eldred Senior Citizen Center, the indoor pool next to Provo High School and The Center community center.

"Our residents deserve better," said Bill Fillmore, a Provo resident. He said the existing facilities are "mediocre."

A feasibility study by VCBO Architecture of Salt Lake City found 68 percent of residents supported the idea. And it would be cheaper to operate than the existing structures, even though it will require about $740,000 in city subsidies annually.

The bond payments would be structured to combine with the remaining city library bond payments, so the overall increase for the owner of a home valued at $195,000 would be $2.61 a month.

Roger Thomas, the city's parks and recreation director, said when the library bonds are paid off, the city would begin making full payments on the recreation center bonds.

But one resident warned the average cost could be deceiving. Charlie Thomas said many homes in Provo are student apartments that would pay pennies, while other residents would pay more than $2.61 a month for the center. "We have to be careful using averages," he said.

Ray Beckham, another resident, said bonding was the right way. While the Covey Center for the Arts was funded partly through private donations, Beckham said, the recreation center plan is too big.

"You just can't rely on donors to raise that much money," Beckham said.