Aquatic Center project is explained
RANDOLPH — Half a dozen people gathered to hear about the proposed Randolph Veterans Memorial Park Aquatic Center with a price tag of $1.1 million on April 20 in the City Auditorium.
City administrator Ben Benton led the meeting with help from JEO's Terry Meier, community development funding expert; Viv Novotny, client development manager; and Dave Henkel, senior project manager.
Benton said the project idea began last summer.
The first pool was built in Randolph in 1925 and was 100 ft. x 50 ft. and cost $4,500 to build.
A $39,000 bond issue was approved in 1969 for a park and pool project. The current pool was finished in 1970.
The entire existing pool is not Americans w i t h Disabilities Act accessible.
"Nearly every city around us has updated their pools,'' Benton said. "Community members leave Randolph to use other pools.''
T h e proposed pool would be zerodepth entry with water features such as an aqua climbing wall, a slide, renovated pool house, heated water, a kiddie aqua slide, new pumps and surge tanks, according to Benton.
Henkel said the climbing wall would be a minimum of five feet tall.
"Ponca has a Kersplash pool climbing wall like the one proposed for Randolph,'' Benton said.
He said the city is proposing to begin on the zero entry funding attempt in April 2021 with years two and three for the waterslide and climbwall.
Benton said the city will fund the pool house cost. The City of Randolph has contributed $8,000 to kick start the fundraising for the project.
Donations can be made to the Randolph Area Foundation.
Several matching grants will be pursued for certain phases of the project.
"The price tag on the project will increase with time,'' Benton said. "The current pool house is dated, but the structure is sound. Public school elementary class sizes are on the rise.''
Theresa Schnoor asked how other communities have financed their swimming pools and aquatic centers.
Meier answered some sales tax and some grants.
Benton said the city is not pursuing sales tax to fund the pool at this time.
Phase one of the project would cost $550,000.
The pool will have someone certified for swimming lessons this summer, according to Benton.
The existing liner would be kept for the pool and the pool would be basically built onto for the zero entry.
The slide would have a 42" height restriction for individuals using the slide. The slide would be 25 to 30 ft. in height, according to Henkel.
Phase one of the pool would mean the pool would have to meet new standards for its mechanics and mean a change in insurance.
Most pools start in August and take about nine months, according to Benton.
"Some tree and shrub removal will be necessary,'' Benton said.
Grant proposals will be worked on by Benton, Julie Kint, park board president; and Josh Rayford, city employee.
JEO will identify potential funding sources. Two main funding sources are available for projects like this, Meier said.
"These sources require funding matches,'' Meier said. "The question is readiness to proceed with the project. Private foundations want to see financial contributions at the local level. JEO can write and review the applications for Randolph.''
No plans have been started, according to Henkel. This will take two to four months to complete.
The zero depth pool will require more chlorine and need at least one more attendant for the new pool. There will also be the additional cost to heat the pool.
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