Time could be running out for Provo's ailing public recreation facilities.

Hired by the city to assess the prospects for a new rec center, Salt Lake City-based VCBO Architecture took a tour with structural, mechanical and aquatic experts through Provo's three existing facilities. Partner Brent Tippets said what they found in the 30-year-old buildings -- the Provo Recreation Center and Pool, the Eldred Senior Center and the youth-oriented Center -- missed today's building standards by a long shot and could pose safety concerns.

"All three of those were built some time ago and are outdated substantially from modern codes," Tippets said. "There are some current structural defects that are visible through the facility."

Tippets said the biggest concern evaluators had was seismic readiness. In their current state, the buildings would not stand up to a large-magnitude earthquake, he said.

"There's no seismic tie-in between the roof and the walls, which becomes very critical for us," he said.

In some places in the existing rec center, the walls were cracked or physically separating from the roof, he said. The building's heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems also appeared to struggle to keep up with demand.

"The mechanical system is very old and very inadequate for the current functions that are being used in the facility," he said.

In the pool area, water depth and quality failed to meet modern standards, and in some places there wasn't enough clearance from the edge of the water to the wall, inviting possible injuries there.

"The pool itself has several code deficiencies with what current pool codes require," Tippets said.

Also at issue is accessibility: Without any ramps or elevators, the existing rec center is in violation of several requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Tippets said.

"A wheelchair would not be able to use that facility," he said. "The city currently runs risks from issues coming up over ADA or access to the facility."

At the Center, Tippets said facilities have been well-maintained but still leave much to be desired compared to modern buildings.

"Cosmetically, they've done some pretty amazing things with limited funds and resources," he said. "As for what would be considered modern recreation, you're using a concrete surface to play basketball."

Tippets said his team found the Eldred Senior Center to offer generally suitable amenities to its target crowd, but the building itself suffered from the same earthquake susceptibility and poor ventilation.

"It lacks some seismic diaphragm issues between the roof and the walls," he said.

City Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Scott Henderson said many of the issues raised in the study are dealt with on an ongoing basis, but there aren't permanent solutions for a lot of them.

"I'm asked all the time, 'Why aren't our facilities meeting the current trends and current needs?' " he said. "It's a long, dark road sticking to facilities that are 30 years old."

The city currently spends about $800,000 a year subsidizing operations at its three rec centers -- a trend it isn't keen on maintaining, Henderson said.

"I think our sand is running out of the hourglass a little bit," he said. "We're not too far away from having to put large capital dollars into these older facilities to keep them going."

Henderson said that based on these considerations and the results of a mail survey this summer, the city is looking strongly at investing in a new rec center. Though the initial price tag may be steep, it would probably save the city money in the long run and offer a better variety of services to Provo's residents, he said.

In the meantime, city staff continue to do a good job of maintaining what facilities they do have, he said.

"I think you'll find even with these older facilities we have not taken a fatalistic approach," Henderson said. "We've tried to bring in new ideas, new improvements, new approaches all the time. We've really tried to do the best we can with what we have there."

Tippets said VCBO is putting the finishing touches on its proposal for a new rec center. The firm is looking at several potential sites -- including the lot on which the Center and the Eldred Senior Center now sit -- and drawing up conceptual designs. The finished product should be ready for presentation to the Municipal Council by the end of September, he said.

• Ace Stryker can be reached at 344-2556 or astryker@heraldextra.com.