SCHERERVILLE | Officials are looking at ways to cut back on the cost of a planned recreation center in Schererville after estimates came in higher than expected.

The town anticipated the cost between $8 million and $10 million, but initial figures were above that, Town Manager Bob Volkmann said.

Volkmann would not disclose the estimate, only to say it was "pretty high." He said the estimate hadn't been reviewed by the engineering staff before it was released.

The cost estimate is based on the design of the building, but neither the floor plan nor the design has been finalized, Volkmann said.

It will take some tweaking to figure out what is necessary for the recreation center and what can be handled differently, Parks Superintendent John Novacich said.

Architect McDonough Associates Inc. is exploring different building techniques to bring down the cost of the facility, he said.

"We're not going to move forward with anything until we know what the impact would be on the residents," Volkmann said.

If the county does not adopt a 1 percent income tax that the Indiana General Assembly wants them to, levies would be frozen.

There's not much point in moving forward until the tax legislation is sorted out, Volkmann said.

The council is going to take a wait and see approach, he said.

In the meantime, the town can move forward on a walking trail that will coincide with the recreation center.

The Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., have committed funding for part of the project.

The town will put together a cost analysis on the trail, Volkmann said.

Novacich said he met last week with DNR officials and gave them a draft of the plans for the 8-foot-wide paved trail that will circle the recreation center.

The grant money needs to be implemented by 2009, he said.