The public should get more information next month and a chance to discuss Vision 2020’s plans to build a Community Recreation Center at the former downtown Austin Municipal Plant.

Vision 2020 will host two public forums at noon and 7 p.m. on March 15 in the large meeting room of Austin Public Library. Rec center committee co-chairs Matt Cano and Tanya Medgaarden, along with Vision 2020 Director Greg Siems, will discuss the project’s recent progress, the next steps in the process and answer questions from attendees.

“This is an exciting project for Austin and we’re happy to see things moving along,” Siems said in a press release. “The potential sale of the power plant site and proposed operating agreement between the City and YMCA are nearly complete and will be considered by the City Council soon, likely in early April. We’ll have another announcement once the details are finalized, and we look forward to the community conversation at the forums and beyond.”

Vision 2020’s goal is to build a $35 million rec center that would likely be jointly operated by the city and YMCA. The facility would likely feature a new YMCA facility along with rec center pieces like an indoor playground, a family aquatic center, community spaces, gyms, a gymnastics facility, workout rooms, a running track and more.

Vision 2020’s preferred site for the rec center is the downtown plant. Vision 2020 and Austin Utilities have the tentative outline of a purchase agreement, and Vision 2020 is also working on a general operating agreement with the city of Austin for the YMCA to manage the rec center.

Siems said Vision 2020 leaders hope to have the purchase and operating agreements completed before the meetings.

“Once we’re able to get those details locked down, we can share those details with the public and have that community conversation,” Siems said.

But that’s just one step. Once the parties involved agree on the purchase and operating agreements, the Austin Utilities board will have to vote on the purchase agreement, and then the Austin City Council will have to vote on both agreements, which Siems said could happen in early April.

Quin Brunner, who is helping lead a charge to save the downtown plant, asked the Austin City Council Tuesday to make public the proposed purchase agreement between Austin Utilities and Vision 2020. City officials told Brunner the agreement would be made public soon; however, city officials have said that the purchase agreement is between Vision 2020 and the Austin Utilities and is not theirs to release.

Siems said they’re not trying to be secretive; the deals haven’t been made public because they’re not yet finalized.

“They’re still working hard to get those last T’s crossed and I’s dotted,” he said.

But Brunner and Austin City Council member Janet Anderson formed a Facebook group, penned a letter and started a Change.org petition to call for the parties involved to slow down and give the community more time to discuss potential uses for the downtown plant and potential locations for the rec center.

Brunner told council members Tuesday that the petition has received more than 200 signatures. Both Vision 2020 and Brunner have released fact sheets online to provide more information on the site and proposed rec center.

Brunner and Anderson would like Vision 2020 to consider building the rec center near the Austin Post Office area.

But Mayor Tom Stiehm previously said a lot of “What Ifs” surround the plant site, and making those ideas a reality is another story. Along with a lack of developers interested in the plant, Stiehm said the cost of acquiring properties for the post office site made him change his mind. He said he wouldn’t support the estimated $3.5 million the city would need to spend to acquire properties to make room for the rec center.

The rec center would likely feature an indoor playground, a family aquatic center, community spaces, gyms, a gymnastics facility, workout rooms, a running track and more.

Plans call for the Austin YMCA to operate the facility, possibly with parts being accessible to Y members and parts being community rec center space, though many details are still being worked out.

But step one remains securing a site for the rec center.

Though a substantial part of anticipated $35 million price tag is already secured, Vision 2020 would plan a public campaign to fundraise for a portion of the project.