In March 2023, Urbandale voters rejected a $43 million recreation complex. In February 2026, the city bought an existing gym for its indoor courts. Recreation Station, at 4020 121st Street, is the result. Before winter, here is what's inside, what it costs, how it compares with the plan voters turned down, and why the city ended up buying a building instead of putting one up.
The Des Moines Register described it in May as a public indoor gym that opened "years after voters denied U-Plex," with some of the same features as the rejected complex on a smaller scale. The smaller scale is the main point. Look at what the city kept and what it dropped, and you can see which part of the U-Plex idea it decided it couldn't do without.
The 2023 Vote Set the Budget
The U-Plex special election was Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The ballot asked whether Urbandale should issue up to $43 million in general obligation bonds or capital loan notes to design, build, equip and furnish a new community recreation complex. It needed 60% approval to pass.
It didn't come close. WOI reported unofficial results showing 87.71% of voters in Urbandale's 12 Polk County precincts voted no, out of 5,539 ballots. In the three Dallas County precincts, 69.1% of 1,813 voters said no. Mayor Robert Andeweg said in a statement that the council brought the project to a vote because "we believed it was crucial to hear from our residents on this matter."
The complex would have gone in Walnut Creek Regional Park. WOI's estimate put the cost to Urbandale homeowners at about $119 a year. When a bond question gets less than a third of the yes votes it needs in the county where most of the city voted, building new is off the table. Any later indoor recreation plan had to be much smaller.
What $43 Million Would Have Bought, and What Got Bought Instead
The U-Plex plan had a long list of features. Inside, it would have had a walking track, a gymnasium, pickleball or basketball courts, an indoor playground, rental space and multipurpose rooms. Outside, it would have had pickleball courts, a splash pad, a playground, programming space and shaded gathering areas.
Recreation Station's list is much shorter. On February 27, 2026, the city finalized its purchase of a 20,856-square-foot building constructed in 2017. It has a 17,000-square-foot gym with two courts, some office space, and a 1,200-square-foot room the city planned to turn into a wellness area for programs and fitness classes.
| U-Plex, 2023 proposal | Recreation Station, 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| How the city gets it | Design and build new | Buy an existing 2017 building |
| Location | Walnut Creek Regional Park | 4020 121st Street, west side |
| Cost to voters | Up to $43 million in bonds | No bond vote |
| Gym and courts | Gymnasium, pickleball or basketball courts | 17,000 sq. ft. gym, two courts |
| Class space | Multipurpose rooms | 1,200 sq. ft. wellness room |
| Walking track, indoor playground | Planned | Not in the city's description |
| Outdoor splash pad, playground | Planned | Not in the city's description |
The math explains a lot. About 17,000 of the 20,856 square feet, or a little over four-fifths of the building, is gym floor. The rest is offices and the wellness room. The city ended up with the one U-Plex feature that's hardest to find anywhere else in a Midwest winter: indoor courts open to the public. It did that without a bond issue and without waiting years for construction.
It also moved fast. The purchase closed February 27. On March 11, the Parks & Recreation Commission was already setting rental rates, and staff expected rentals to start by the end of March. The Register reported residents had access by May 28. That's three months from closing to public use, which would have been impossible with a building that still needed designing.
How to Use It This Fall and Winter
The city lists the gym as lined for both pickleball and volleyball, with restrooms, a water fountain and parking on site. Here are the ways to get onto the courts right now, from least to most planning:
- Drop-in pickleball, weekdays. The city calendar lists adult drop-in play every weekday, ages 18 and up, for $5 per person, with three courts set aside. The listing promises a chance to "stay out of the wind and cold," which is a fair pitch for a gym in Iowa in October. The listing gives two time windows. The event header says 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the description says to show up between 9 and 11 a.m. Arrive by 9 to 11 and you're safe either way.
- Reserved pickleball courts. The calendar also lists bookable court time at $10 per hour per court. Players can reserve up to two hours a day, starting two weeks ahead and ending three days before the date. Inside that three-day window, call 515-278-3963 to check what's open.
- Full-court rentals. In March, the Parks & Recreation Commission approved a staff recommendation of $50 per hour for one court and $100 per hour for both, with no discounts for any group or organization. Staff called that "consistent with other area communities' gym rental policies," and the recommendation was headed to the City Council's March 17 meeting. The city's facility page pitches the building to coaches who need practice space and teams that need a reliable court. Confirm the current rate with the office before you book.
The no-discount rule matters if you coach a youth team or run a league. The $50 hourly rate is the same for everyone, so a volunteer-run club pays what a private group pays. Budget for a full season of winter practices before you commit.
The wellness room is the part of the building with the least to show so far. The city says it will support "future classes and programs," and the facility page talks about upcoming classes and rentals. It doesn't list a fall or winter class schedule yet. Until it does, plan on courts and leave classes for later.
The Front Desk Moved, Too
Recreation Station is also now where you go for the Parks & Recreation office. On September 8, the city announced that the department's offices had moved to 4020 121st Street. Key pickups and drop-offs, front desk help and other Parks & Recreation business all happen there now. The office phone is still 515-278-3963.
That changes your errands if you rent a park shelter or any other city facility that comes with a key. Key pickup and return now happen on the west side at 121st Street. The city says it wants the building to grow into "a larger hub for activity, wellness, and connection." With the staff and the front desk now there, that plan already has a start.
The Open House on October 16
If you haven't been inside, the easiest first visit is the open house on Friday, October 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. The city's September 28 announcement says visitors can look around the facility, play games, try activities and see what the building offers. It's free to walk in, so you can check the courts before paying for a reservation.
Bring your questions. Two hours with Parks & Recreation staff on site is a good chance to ask which drop-in time window is current, whether the Council adopted the court rental rates as recommended, and when the wellness room will start hosting classes. The published material doesn't answer those yet.
Recreation Station is a pared-down version of the U-Plex. Voters said no to a $43 million campus with a walking track, an indoor playground and a splash pad. Seven months after the purchase, the city has a 2017 building with two courts, $5 weekday pickleball and the Parks & Rec front desk under one roof at 4020 121st Street.
Pete Jones grew up in Urbandale and still pays attention to what the city builds, and now, what it buys. If you're working out how being near a spot like Recreation Station fits into a move within Urbandale or the rest of the northwest suburbs, Peter Jones Realty can help you run the numbers honestly. No pressure. Let's Connect.
