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Proposed aquatic center tagged at $9.5M
By By Jill Meier
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EmailJuly 28. 2010 6:00AM
A proposal for a new outdoor aquatic center at Brandon’s Aspen Park that’s typically used 90 days a year, came in with a $9.5 million price tag.
The proposal, designed by Paul Boerboom of TSP, Inc., was presented to the council on July 19.
“The reason we started looking at this is that our citizens were saying they can’t get into the pool,” explained councilor Mindy Hansen. “But when you’re looking at spending $9.5 million for 90 days, it’s a lot.”
Pool manager Liz Nuss said the pool’s capacity of 297 hasn’t been reached once this year.
“We’ve had at least that many people come through here on a day, just not all at once,” she said.
Averaging 100 swimmers a day, the hottest days of summer have drawn about 180, and on slow days she said the pool averages 50 to 60 swimmers.
The $9.5 million proposal – boasting a variety of amenities – calls for the existing L-shape pool to be refinished with a new resurfacing finish. The two diving boards and slides would be removed, and new basketball hoops, a new volleyball net and an aquatic rock-climbing wall would be added. The mechanical equipment serving the current pool would also be updated.
The current wading pool would be demolished and replaced with a new zero depth leisure pool that would feature play structures and a “bump-out” area with a water walk.
“It would have toys and features as the budget would allow,” Boerboom said.
A slide tower, which would be the focal point of the master plan, features a raft (tube) slide into a lazy river, two flume slides with run-outs and a water holding tank, and two flume slides that would dump into a plunge pool. The plan also lists a wave pool that would be connected to the lazy river.
The current pool building would remain, but a new entrance building would be constructed and would include space for a lifeguard station and storage, an entrance control point and family restrooms.
Outside of the pool complex would be a 35-foot diameter splash pad that would be free of charge to all park users.
“There would be no standing water, just lots of spray toys,” Boerboom said. “It would be a nice enhancement to an aquatic park.”
A second mechanical room to serve the new pool offerings and parking (up to 198 stalls) is also included in the plans. If the entire plan is approved, construction would take 12 to 14 months, Boerboom said.
The aquatic center could be built in phases, but Boerboom said he recommends the first phase should include repairing the existing pool, constructing the new leisure pool, entrance/restroom building and new mechanical building. Those facilities, he said, could remain in operation during construction of future phases.
“It’s set up so that we can build it in phases, and the way it’s set up there are components that you can pick,” explained Bryan Read, city administrator.
Read said the council will seek public input on the plan.
“They haven’t decided how they want to pursue this,” he said. “And they’re also waiting for the community survey to come back.”
Read said no money is being built into the 2011 budget for the aquatic center, but funds for yearly improvements are. Read said the pool’s mechanical equipment, which was installed in 1990 when the pool was built, will need to be replaced in the next few years. The equipment typically has a 20- to 25-year useful life.
“We budget every year to do some improvements,” he said. This year, shower and faucet fixtures and the toilets were replaced. The drinking fountains and new lockers are planned for 2011.
The project, in its entirety, Read said, would be referred to a vote of the people.
“We’re probably looking at a referendum,” he said. “And what’s nice about the referendum, is that if the people want it, they will vote for it.”
Doug Jaeger, an aquatics consultant with Associated Pool Builders, Inc., told the council they will need to spend money on the pool no matter what.
“In any case, whether you pick some, none or all (of the plans), the existing pool needs some work, and it needs it in the near future,” he said.
Jaeger also advised the council to make the facility big enough for future growth.
“(The city of) Tea made their decision based on budget, and the day they opened it, it was already too small,” Jaeger said.
Ward 2 Alderman Bob Bruning said he favors progress, but shared concerns about accessibility in and out of Aspen Park.
“Given the way Aspen Park is set up with one entrance, would it be congested when there are ball tournaments?” he asked.
City engineer Jon Brown said Aspen Park is already congested on ball tournament weekends, but said there has been some discussion on creating a second entrance to the park from either the south or the west.
“There are no definite plans,” Read said. “But that’s one of the reasons why we have the lightning detector there is so people can exit Aspen Park in a timely fashion.”
The proposal, designed by Paul Boerboom of TSP, Inc., was presented to the council on July 19.
“The reason we started looking at this is that our citizens were saying they can’t get into the pool,” explained councilor Mindy Hansen. “But when you’re looking at spending $9.5 million for 90 days, it’s a lot.”
Pool manager Liz Nuss said the pool’s capacity of 297 hasn’t been reached once this year.
“We’ve had at least that many people come through here on a day, just not all at once,” she said.
Averaging 100 swimmers a day, the hottest days of summer have drawn about 180, and on slow days she said the pool averages 50 to 60 swimmers.
The $9.5 million proposal – boasting a variety of amenities – calls for the existing L-shape pool to be refinished with a new resurfacing finish. The two diving boards and slides would be removed, and new basketball hoops, a new volleyball net and an aquatic rock-climbing wall would be added. The mechanical equipment serving the current pool would also be updated.
The current wading pool would be demolished and replaced with a new zero depth leisure pool that would feature play structures and a “bump-out” area with a water walk.
“It would have toys and features as the budget would allow,” Boerboom said.
A slide tower, which would be the focal point of the master plan, features a raft (tube) slide into a lazy river, two flume slides with run-outs and a water holding tank, and two flume slides that would dump into a plunge pool. The plan also lists a wave pool that would be connected to the lazy river.
The current pool building would remain, but a new entrance building would be constructed and would include space for a lifeguard station and storage, an entrance control point and family restrooms.
Outside of the pool complex would be a 35-foot diameter splash pad that would be free of charge to all park users.
“There would be no standing water, just lots of spray toys,” Boerboom said. “It would be a nice enhancement to an aquatic park.”
A second mechanical room to serve the new pool offerings and parking (up to 198 stalls) is also included in the plans. If the entire plan is approved, construction would take 12 to 14 months, Boerboom said.
The aquatic center could be built in phases, but Boerboom said he recommends the first phase should include repairing the existing pool, constructing the new leisure pool, entrance/restroom building and new mechanical building. Those facilities, he said, could remain in operation during construction of future phases.
“It’s set up so that we can build it in phases, and the way it’s set up there are components that you can pick,” explained Bryan Read, city administrator.
Read said the council will seek public input on the plan.
“They haven’t decided how they want to pursue this,” he said. “And they’re also waiting for the community survey to come back.”
Read said no money is being built into the 2011 budget for the aquatic center, but funds for yearly improvements are. Read said the pool’s mechanical equipment, which was installed in 1990 when the pool was built, will need to be replaced in the next few years. The equipment typically has a 20- to 25-year useful life.
“We budget every year to do some improvements,” he said. This year, shower and faucet fixtures and the toilets were replaced. The drinking fountains and new lockers are planned for 2011.
The project, in its entirety, Read said, would be referred to a vote of the people.
“We’re probably looking at a referendum,” he said. “And what’s nice about the referendum, is that if the people want it, they will vote for it.”
Doug Jaeger, an aquatics consultant with Associated Pool Builders, Inc., told the council they will need to spend money on the pool no matter what.
“In any case, whether you pick some, none or all (of the plans), the existing pool needs some work, and it needs it in the near future,” he said.
Jaeger also advised the council to make the facility big enough for future growth.
“(The city of) Tea made their decision based on budget, and the day they opened it, it was already too small,” Jaeger said.
Ward 2 Alderman Bob Bruning said he favors progress, but shared concerns about accessibility in and out of Aspen Park.
“Given the way Aspen Park is set up with one entrance, would it be congested when there are ball tournaments?” he asked.
City engineer Jon Brown said Aspen Park is already congested on ball tournament weekends, but said there has been some discussion on creating a second entrance to the park from either the south or the west.
“There are no definite plans,” Read said. “But that’s one of the reasons why we have the lightning detector there is so people can exit Aspen Park in a timely fashion.”
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The Brandon city council got their first look at the proposed aquatic center proposal at their July 19 meeting. The proposal, which was estimated at $9.5 million, included a variety of aquatic amenities such as a wave pool, lazy river and a slide tower complex. The council plans to seek public input on the proposal and will use information garnered from the community survey that was recently sent out in future pool discussions. Photo by Jill Meier |  |
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