On Aug. 26, 2019, the Black Mesa and Lake Powell Railroad delivered its last load of coal to Navajo Generating Station (NGS). Around 350 miners at the Kayenta Mine lost their jobs. On Nov. 18, NGS closed after 45 years of operations. Around 300 of the 433 NGS employees were reassigned and relocated with their families to other Salt River Project (SRP) operations.

Before the layoffs, SRP got ahead of consequences for its employees and the community. The Pera Club, owned by the SRP, was repurposed. On Aug. 14, 2019, the Northern Arizona Region Re-Employment Center held its grand opening in the building. On Oct. 21, 2019, hundreds stood in line at the Pera Club for a chance at good-paying NGS decommissioning jobs.

Shortly after, like NGS, the Pera Club went silent.

On Aug. 3, 2020, a letter signed by then-Mayor Levi Tappan and City Manager Darren Coldwell was sent to SRP CEO Mike Hummel. It was a big ask. Tappan and Coldwell proposed transitioning the Pera Club to a city facility.

Excerpt from the Tappan-Coldwell letter:

“Relocating City Hall from our aging downtown building to the Pera Club location would immediately free up prime real estate downtown. This would afford opportunity to bolster much-needed growth that is more aligned to the current downtown vision and placemaking that includes mixed-use development and the much-needed housing for our medical and public safety personnel.

“The addition of the Pera Club to our existing facilities will afford the City the opportunity to bridge critical community gaps, such as in the area of child care and education. By adding both physical space and virtual classroom experiences, the Pera Club will provide benefit for our at-risk schools: Desert View Intermediate, Page Middle School and Page High School.”

The Chronicle spoke with the former mayor about his attempt to acquire the Pera Club for the city and the reasoning behind it. “City Hall doesn't need to be on main street,” said Tappan. “That’s some good, valuable commercial land there. You could have some nice restaurants or walk-in shops.”

The current City Hall, built before energy conservation was a concern, is inefficient. Coldwell told the Chronicle the last estimate to replace the old windows is over $250,000. The annual electric bill for the City Hall building is around $36,000. One of the advantages of the Pera Club is newer windows and fewer of them.

“When I was a kid, it was a library,” said Tappan, speaking of City Hall. “I think it was here when this town was built. It's been kind of what I call a Frankenstein -- when they changed a building. It's been Frankensteined a few times. And then the windows are just not energy efficient. It was built in the sixties.”

Tappan doesn’t remember getting a response from SRP. “I remember, but I don't think I saw this in writing, someone told me at one time [they were] still trying to decide what to do with the property and if they would sell it at that time, they would sell it for $3 million. And I thought, well, the city has lots of land. We don't need to buy a $3 million [property]. If they want $3 million, we’ll just go build our own.”

Fast forward to Jan. 18, 2023. Mayor Bill Diak continues the work Tappan started; he sends another letter to Hummel, echoing what Tappan had asked for plus additional details on the city’s plans.

 “We hope to continue that legacy for years to come with the proposal to transition the Page PERA Club to a city public facility that can be used to house our City Hall,” writes Diak. “Relocating City Hall from our aging downtown building to the PERA Club location would immediately free up prime real estate downtown. We have had developers already approach us for development. This move would be an opportunity to bolster much needed growth that is more aligned to the current Downtown Streetscape vision that the city has been working toward.

“We do want to let you know that the City of Page has plans for the entire 17 acres. Our hope is to turn the current facility and its property into an entire city-funded sports complex. Our vision includes a splash-pad, [a] swimming pool, and a recreation facility. The recreation facility would include indoor basketball courts, a climbing wall, and racquetball court. The PERA Club property works hand in hand with the current baseball fields, soccer fields, and playground. Relocating all city services to this property creates a multi-purpose facility that all residents can use and be proud of.

“I hope that SRP will consider our vision for the future of the PERA Club property, as it continues SRP's legacy of giving back to our community.”

On Feb. 13, 2023, Hummel responded, “Bill, I would like to start discussions with your folks in Page about how to make this work. We've had a lot of internal dialogue and If we can get the details worked out, I believe the transfer of the facility to Page would fit with our commitment to the community and the ability to create a legacy for SRP. We need to talk about carving out the credit union property, insuring some minimum space for SRP for continued activity at the plant site, and obviously a host of legal and regulatory details. I look forward to finding a way to make this happen. If you can provide the contacts for the City you would like us to work with, I will get the process started on our side.”

Hummel met with Diak, and Vice Mayor John Kocjan then sent a follow-up letter addressing property usage assurances. “During our conversation you posed the question, how could SRP be assured the property would continue to be used in the best interest of the community? While Councils cannot commit future Councils, with deed restrictions SRP can guarantee that it will used only in the best interest of the community. The seller could deed the property with a condition that it only be used for governmental purposes or something to that effect. If we ever tried to sell or use the property for non-governmental purposes, the title would revert back to SRP. I'm sure you would want to reach out to your attorneys for suitable language for something along those lines. It Is our plan to build a Community Recreation Center, Swimming Pool and other amenities. We already have 4 ball fields and soccer fields as well as a children's park on adjacent property. This type of Complex would help us serve our community and region better.

“As you are well aware the City of Page serves a much larger region than just within the city limits. All of our organized programs are open to the whole region to participate. And they do.

“I have attached cost estimates for the project so you can better see our commitment. Our intent for the build-out is to use the entire property.”

SRP continued to work with Diak and Coldwell after Hummel retired in May 2023.

On April 6, 2024, SRP Land Manager Jayson Carpenter wrote to Coldwell, “Salt River Project Is very proud of the legacy of community that has formed over the years with the Navajo Nation, the City of Page, Coconino County, and of course all the residents who live in this special part of Arizona. Our desire for the PERA Club property would be for it to monument this legacy of community enjoyment and partnership by continuing to be a place of gathering and recreation into the future. Our goal is that the PERA property will continue to be accessible to all SRP's community partners in this area who have been so valued and appreciated over the years that the Navajo Generation Station was in operation.

“To reach the desired outcome outlined above, SRP will include a reversionary clause to the Special Warranty Deed and will require the property be used for the benefit of the community. A draft of the Special Warranty Deed is attached and available for review by you and your team. Please let me know if you have any follow-up questions or concerns regarding the terms of the Special Warranty Deed. We are grateful to the City of Page for assisting SRP with furthering our goals for the property. We look forward to working with you and your team through this process.”

On April 8, 2024, Michael O'Connor, SRP’s chief legal executive, confirmed the deed conditions allowed the use of the building for city hall use.

On May 9, 2024, over four years since Tappan’s letter, the deed to the Pera Club property was signed over the City of Page for $10. Now, five years later, Page City Council will begin discussions on what to do with the property.