The Pueblo County Rec Center will begin charging entry and membership fees on May 1, ending a period of free access that began with its soft opening in 2022.The Pueblo County Parks and Recreation Department announced the new cos t structure: $5 per entry, $30 per month for individuals, and $50 per month for families. A $3 rate applies to youth and low-income qualified individuals.Amanda Hobson, the director of Pueblo County Parks and Recreation, told me the county's ongoing budget shortfall played no part in the decision to implement fees."There was always the intention to have fees based at this facility," says Hobson. "We also have a low-income opportunity as well, and those fees match the youth fees.Jordan Cruz is one of many people who utilize the free open gym, weights, and boxing at the facility."I heard there's a nice, free gym out here, in driving distance, so twice a week I'm out here, Mondays and Wednesdays usually," Cruz said. "It is tough to lose something like that where it's free, where you can always count on.Laura Garcia coaches youth basketball at the center and is now left with a difficult decision regarding her teams."I was able to get not only one team but two teams to be able to go do it for free," Garcia said. "La Gente is already a program that tends to the children that aren't really able to pay that much money for sports already."We're gonna probably have to relocate because I know a lot of the parents aren't gonna be able to afford that, and I wouldn't want that on them," she adds.She says she wishes there had been more community collaboration before the decision was made."If they're gonna make prices to the public and have a program, we should have a say in it too. I feel like they should at least hear our voices and figure out what's good for the community," Garcia said.In a world where prices seem to be rising everywhere, the change could affect some regular visitors."I can definitely see there are people not showing up, and then now there's only me and two other guys, and it would definitely affect me. Like, I'm not going to keep coming if there's nobody else here to play basketball with," Cruz said. ...read more read less