MISSION VIEJO : Council Moves to Save on Recreation Centers

Looking to save about $100,000 per year, the City Council this week severed ties with Sports Leisure Group, a management firm that had run a city recreation center and tennis program.

The move was made in a continuing effort by city officials to reduce subsidies to a group of city-owned recreation centers, which now stand at $1 million after once totaling $1.8 million.

The total was at its highest about two years ago, when the sports management company was running four recreation centers for Mission Viejo. To save money, the city has since leased three of the centers to private organizations.

With this latest council decision, Sports Leisure Group will no longer operate the Montanoso recreation center and tennis programs at the Felipe and Marguerite centers.

The decision not to use Sports Leisure Group will save an additional $75,000 to $100,000 annually, city parks director Kelly Doyle said.

“We simply feel that with the changing face of the recreation centers, staff will be able to absorb the additional responsibilities” of running the remaining facility, Montanoso, Doyle said.