Manti celebrates dual boosts to community life with street party
By Susan Manning and Suzanne Dean
Photo by Robert Stevens.
MANTI—Manti City’s social and recreational scene received two major upgrades this month, and residents turned out Wednesday night, Nov. 11, for a street party to mark the occasion.
Timed around Veterans Day, the community block party celebrated the completed senior center while also honoring veterans and seniors, and it introduced the repurposed armory’s new role as the Manti City Community Center.
The Manti City Senior Center has undergone a complete $350,000 renovation that includes a new kitchen, fresh flooring, a refreshed paint scheme and upgraded bathrooms. Of that amount, $230,000 came from a Community Development Block Grant that former City Manager Kent Barton and former Mayor Chuck Bigelow spent two years securing.
Photo by Robert Stevens.
A new use for the armory
At the same time, the city and the Utah National Guard have finalized a memorandum of understanding allowing Manti to use the 19,800-square-foot former armory for community purposes this winter. Possible activities include basketball and pickleball, with the city emphasizing broader community use rather than recreation alone.
The arrangement grew out of the city’s need for indoor winter recreation space and its desire to keep the National Guard based in Manti. Negotiations have been underway for much of 2026, including site visits and discussions with Guard leadership.
The groundwork for the arrangement was laid during Kent Barton’s 13 years as city manager, when he cultivated a working relationship with the Guard. When Manti asked about use of the building this winter, the Guard agreed to vacate and temporarily relocate its operations to the Mt. Pleasant armory.
City Manager Jason Brown said, “The Guard has been tremendously willing to work with us.” That move was completed in October. The Guard expects to return to the Manti area once new facilities are completed off Serviceberry Road near the Sanpete County Jail.
Photo by Robert Stevens.
City staff are now developing policies that will govern who may use the armory, what fees, if any, will apply and which events are appropriate. The building contains a large gymnasium, bathrooms, offices, a large classroom and a kitchen.
Officials do not anticipate major infrastructure improvements will be needed for community use and are still compiling data on utility, insurance and maintenance costs to help set any user fees. City-sponsored events and the Manti City Recreation Department will receive scheduling priority, with additional community uses added as capacity allows.
Brown emphasized, “We want to be able to have Manti City residents take advantage of the Community Center.” Once the policies and available areas for use are finalized, details will be posted on the city website and city Facebook pages and announced through the newspaper. Brown added, “This is going to be a great asset for our community.”
Photo by Robert Stevens.
A longer-term land exchange
Looking ahead, the National Guard and Manti City are working toward a permanent agreement involving a land swap east of the Sanpete County Jail. Several years ago, the Guard traded a lot on 100 East—where it had long stored equipment—for roughly 30 acres.
The city now uses the former 100 East site to store electrical equipment, while the Guard has been developing plans for new facilities on the 30-acre property. Those plans include a readiness center and maintenance shop, along with space for vehicles and equipment.
The broader land exchange has roots in earlier city planning. While Natasha Madsen was mayor, Manti purchased 150 acres on the south end of town with an eye toward the future. Brown said, “Thank goodness the city had some foresight to do that.”
The city and Guard are currently obtaining appraisals to determine how many additional acres will be swapped for the old armory; one proposal under discussion involves roughly 70 acres, though final terms remain pending completion of the appraisal.
City officials anticipate the agreements will be finalized in 2027, when the city also expects to extend electricity to the Guard’s property. Guard construction could potentially begin as early as 2029. In return for the land, the city would take ownership of the armory for long-term community use while advancing plans to develop part of the larger parcel south of town as a commercial and industrial park.