By early April, Lawrence Parks and Recreation leaders hope to start a new push to win support for a west-side recreation center, and perhaps a larger wellness center and fieldhouse.

Ernie Shaw, the city’s interim Parks and Recreation director, said his department has begun working with the Lawrence-based architectural firm Gould Evans to develop concept plans for a new community recreation center.

“The plans will be a good marketing tool to go out and approach private donors,” Shaw said.

The work by Gould Evans — expected to be done in early April — will include conceptual floorplans, exterior drawings of what a new center may look like, and also a conceptual site plan.

Shaw said the plans were being developed to fit on 40 acres of city-owned ground at Wakarusa and Overland drives, which is behind the new Wal-Mart. But Shaw said the plans could be applied to other sites in the city, if the city commission found a more suitable site or the city was approached by a private donor with a site in mind.

“But we do still believe we need something on the west side of town,” Shaw said. “That’s where we are seeing a lot of need.”

The city currently does not have a recreation center west of Kasold Drive.

City commissioners, however, have not committed to build any new center. As part of the 2010 budget process, commissioners rejected a plan to begin the construction design process for a new center at Wakarusa and Overland. Instead, they told Parks and Recreation leaders to research the department’s most pressing needs. About $300,000, however, was left in the department’s budget to do planning work for future facilities and to do some extra maintenance on existing facilities.

A pricetag for the facility hasn’t been determined, but City Manager David Corliss’ recommendation has been to use funds that currently are devoted to paying off the city’s Indoor Aquatic Center. That facility will be paid off within the next year.

The city also has an interest in approaching private donors about building a wellness center or a multigym fieldhouse in conjunction with a traditional recreation center. Shaw confirmed the city continues to be in discussions with Bill Self’s Assists Foundation, although no deal has been reached.

A wellness center could house a variety of programs, including nutrition classes and special exercise rooms designed for children. A new fieldhouse could be used for local sports league programs, and also could become a regular site for weekend tournaments that would attract teams from throughout the region.

“That could be a real economic development tool,” Shaw said. “We know people love to come here. It is just having the facilities to do something on a regular basis.”