Working to close pool funding gap
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Representatives from the city of Mount Ayr and the pool committee are preparing to return to Des Moines on March 7, to meet with the Enhance Iowa Board, CAT Review Committee and make their final request for funding.
The committee working to bring the new pool to completion has been working towards closing a funding gap of approximately $647,000.
The city of Mount Ayr, pool committee members, and community representatives initially presented a concept for the new pool planned at Judge Lewis Park to the Enhance Iowa Board in hopes of obtaining CAT grant funds on December 7, 2023. The group was asked to return in March after learning whether a request for $500,000 in DEKKO funding was granted.
Now that the DEKKO Foundation has announced they will be providing $250,000 in grant funds, and an additional $67,000 in private funding has been raised, the committee has a better idea of the total amount needed to complete the pool project.
Typically, the Enhance Iowa Program is the last entity to provide funding towards projects, helping fill the final gap after all other avenues have been pursued. The Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) Committee is a subcommittee of the Enhance Iowa Board, and evaluates applications for CAT funding.
The outdoor pool will be approximately 4,000-square feet and include a current channel, lap lanes, diving boards, and spray features. Two slides, a zero-depth entry, and an additional diving board have been included in the construction bidding process as alternates.
The project shortfall has been estimated to be around $400,000 if all 23 of the extra items are included in the project.
The plan is to hold a fundraising event on March 23 at the Mount Ayr American Legion, and wrap up the capital campaign in the spring of 2023.
After construction bids close on March 19, and are reviewed by the Mount Ayr city council, construction is expected to start in the summer of 2024, as long as a successful bid is approved.
