Hanna Council Hears Challenges of Repurposing Rec Center

Economic development group outlines options for former facility as nonprofit eyes takeover

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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The head of the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation outlined challenges of repurposing Hanna's former recreation center during a presentation to the Hanna Town Council. The 1983-built facility closed in 2024 due to high operating costs, and the town is now considering options to either find a buyer to convert it or demolish the building at an estimated cost of over $600,000.

Why it matters

The Hanna Recreation Center was a longtime community hub, but its closure highlights the economic challenges facing small towns in Wyoming as industries like coal decline. The town's decision on the facility's future will impact the community's access to recreational amenities and the city's budget.

The details

The Hanna Recreation Center once served thousands of residents but had only about 30 members left by 2024. With operational costs of roughly $300,000 a year and impact assistance money running out, the town closed the facility on July 31st, 2024. Since then, the building has sat vacant and continued to deteriorate. Consulting firm Ayres Associates presented the town with two options: find someone willing to convert the facility into a factory space or demolish it at an estimated cost of over $600,000.

  • The Hanna Recreation Center was built in 1983 during the coal boom.
  • The facility closed on July 31st, 2024 due to high operating costs.
  • In August 2025, Ayres Associates presented the town's options for the building.
  • On February 10th, 2026, the Economic Development Corporation director provided an update to the Hanna Town Council.
  • The Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center is scheduled to meet with the town council on February 11th, 2026.

The players

Yvonne Johnson

The executive director of the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation.

Mike Scholl

A representative from Ayres Associates, the engineering consulting firm that presented options for the Hanna Recreation Center.

Sam Sikes

A Hanna Town Council member who urged the economic development director to move quickly on finding a solution for the rec center.

Dorn Hetzel

A Hanna Recreation Board member who has established a nonprofit called the Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center to potentially take over management of the facility.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The Friends of the Hanna Recreation Center is scheduled to meet with the Hanna Town Council on February 11th, 2026 to finalize details of a proposed arrangement for the nonprofit to gradually reopen portions of the shuttered facility.

The takeaway

The fate of the Hanna Recreation Center highlights the economic challenges facing small towns in Wyoming as industries like coal decline. The town's decision on the facility's future will impact the community's access to recreational amenities and the city's budget, underscoring the need for creative solutions to repurpose aging infrastructure.