FINALLY!! New pool to open
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The ribbon cutting and open house for the new swimming pool at Judge Lewis Park is set for Saturday, May 17.
City officials and pool committee representatives will cut the ribbon to officially open the pool to the public at 5 p.m.
The first official “jump in” will follow at 5:15 p.m., Layton Greenman won that honor at a prior fundraising auction..
Glendenning Motor Company will furnish hot dogs, chips, and water to attendees.
Free ice cream from L&C Big Chill will also be available, sponsored by South Central Iowa Realty from 5-6 p.m. and by McDonnell Appliance from 6-7 p.m.
Pool passes will be offered for purchase throughout the event.
New pool timeline
The opening of the new pool comes after many years of debate, public surveys, private fundraising, false starts, alternative designs, hopes, and dreams.
The evolution of the this pool has been prominently featured over the years in the Record-News, and below is a summary of that evolution.
2008
• A concerted effort to address issues with the aging pool began with the formation of an Aquatic Center committee.
2013
• Fundraising efforts by that committee contributed largely to the building of the combination FEMA Safe Room/bathhouse at the pool site..
2014
• A community survey revealed 69.92 percent of city residents strongly agreed or agreed that the city should focus on improvements to the city swimming pool. The top three priorities identified in the survey were improvement of city streets, improvement to storm water system, and nuisance abatements.
• Proceeds from the Ayr Days Running Classic are earmarked for the Aquatic Center.
• At the Ringgold County Fair, the Aquatic Center Committee, is awarded a $7,000 grant from the South Central Iowa Community Foundation for benches and picnic tables with umbrellas.
2015
• Craig Elliott donates $2,500 from the America’s Farmers Grow Communities program to the Mount Ayr Aquatic Center funds.
• City superintendent Brent Wise tells the city council that lights at the swimming pool are in the process of being repaired or replaced, and he hopes the pool will be ready to open on schedule this summer.
• The future of the current pool is a topic of discussion during campaigns for seats on the city council.
2016
• City superintendent Brent Wise reports a leak has been discovered at the west end of the pool. The leak is allowing the loss of 18,000 gallons per day, about 10 percent of the pool’s capacity.
He said the cost to refill the lost volume would cost approximately $54 per day, which translates to about $5,000 for the swimming season. Replacing lost chemicals would add another $5,000.
• The city receives an estimate totaling $240,000 to refurbish the pool, a process that could extend the usable life of the pool by 10 years.
• New state water rules might require the addition of a filtering system to the kiddie pool at an estimated cost of $80,000.
• The city council approves a request from the city park board to apply for a grant from the DEKKO corporation. If funded, the grant would cover costs for the Design Lab at Iowa State University to provide research and architectural proposals for a new pool.
• Following the close of the swimming season, Superintendent Wise shows park board members areas in the pool liner that need replaced. He told the board the pool went through over one million gallons of water during the 2016 swimming season.
2017
• A Wellness Coalition is formed to explore the feasibility of building an indoor pool.
• The pool is forced to close temporarily due to a malfunction of the sand filtration system. One of two pumps overheated and shut down and some sand was deposited into the pool.
• JEO Consulting Group, an engineering firm familiar with swimming pool facilities, reports to the city council that the 50-plus year old pool would require electrical repairs as well as repairs to the filtering system to be functional to open for the 2018 season. Cost estimates run between $40,000 to $50,000.
The report noted the city had already spent over $100,000 over the past five years in pool repairs and would likely require another $250,000 to bring the pool into compliance with current public safety regulations.
The council hires the firm for $4,100 to conduct a more thorough examination of the pool and to make recommendations on the immediate future of the pool.
• The council cancels the contract with JEO for failure to deliver on contracted services and approves a contract with engineering firm ISG for similar services. The new contract costs $3,600 for the inspection and another $2,700 for the list of recommendations.
2018
• ISG reports the pool could open for the 2018 season if three high priority repairs are made: replacement of electrical service, removal of shell lighting inside the pool, and replacement of the winch in the treatment room. Repairs to the pool’s filtration system was listed as a moderate priority.
Costs for the high priority repairs was estimated at $43,200. Without those repairs, however, the pool would not open in 2018.
The council voted unanimously to move forward with those repairs.
• At a later meeting, the council learns it may run short of funds to complete the approved repairs.
The Aquatic Center committee is approached to gauge their interest in donating a portion of the $227,000 they had raised through donations and fundraisers. The committee explained their funds were intended for a new or improved facility, not routine maintenance and repairs.
The council noted that if the pool didn’t open in 2018, the savings in operational costs could be used for repairs prior to the 2019 swimming season.
• In a split 3-2 decision, the council votes to use LOST (Local Option Sales Tax) money to pay for the repairs. It is determined that the city will use no more than 25% of LOST funds to be devoted to the new pool.
• At a public meeting in the Ringgold County Courthouse assembly room, a near capacity crowd listened as ISG representatives present two proposals related to the future of the Judge Lewis pool – a “Pool Renovation Plan” with an estimated cost of $1.1 million along with an “Aquatic Center Concept” at an estimated cost of between $2 million and $3.2 million.
Assuming a combination of funding from the Aquatic Center committee, city resources, and a sizable donation from local benefactors Larry and Rita Hunter, it was estimated a new pool would require an additional $280,000 from additional private donations, fundraisers, grants, and other revenue sources.
• A motion to move forward with the $1.1 million renovation plan dies for lack of a second at a city council meeting.
• The Ringgold County Wellness Coalition seeks input related to a potential year-round indoor pool/wellness facility from the school, hospital, county, city, and other stakeholders.
• On a 3-2 vote, the city council defeats a motion to enter into a $6,100 contract with ISG to develop design recommendations and cost estimates for either refurbishing the existing pool or constructing an entirely new pool.
• The Wellness Center Advisory Group contracts with the Institute for Decision Making at the University of Northern Iowa to conduct a survey, the results of which help provide an overall vision, prioritize objectives, and develop action steps toward the building of an indoor pool/wellness center.
2019
• A leak was detected as city workers filled the pool prior to the 2019 swim season, but the leak soon disappeared. Superintendent Wise said opening of the pool will proceed as planned.
• The city council receives the first report from the survey conducted by UNI.
Approximately 40% of the 573 county respondents stated they would use either an outdoor or indoor pool. Another 30.5% stated a preference for an outdoor pool, while 15.8% preferred an indoor pool.
• The pool is closed temporarily due to a malfunction of the chemical feed pump system. The unit kept tripping electrical breakers resulting in a safety concern. A new control unit was purchased and installed, and the pool was able to reopen.
• The Wellness Committee reports on its visit to Manning, a town that features a “hybrid” indoor pool and wellness facility. The pool there is outfitted with overhead doors that can be opened in warm weather and closed when temperatures drop.
• The city council hires Stone Planning, LLC to conduct a feasibility study concerning the future of the Judge Lewis pool.
Larry and Rita Hunter pledge to cover $40,000 of the $55,000 contract, the remainder of which will be covered by grant funding.
The study would provide recommendations related to size, location, and cost estimates for four options: renovation of existing pool, demolition of existing pool and build new, a hybrid pool, and an entirely indoor facility.
The survey would take approximately 14 weeks to complete.
2020
• To aid its survey, Stone Planning asks ISG designers for conceptual drawings and plans for various sites for a new pool. ISG offers the information at a cost of $14,500. The city council declines to pay for the plans and instead will use plans developed during an earlier survey by Iowa State University.
• Stone Planning delivers its 70-page report to the city council. The report contains no surprises, with renovation of the existing pool being the least expensive option but produce the least return on investment. The indoor options carry much higher construction costs but higher returns.
The report, however, lists the pros and cons of locating a new pool and/or wellness facility at five different sites: Judge Lewis Park, near the REC building, near the Mount Ayr elementary school, near the Mount Ayr middle/high school, and a site near Ringgold County Hospital.
• The 2020 swim season is delayed as the pool remains closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Finally, the pool is allowed to open at the end of June.
• On a 4-1 vote, the city council approves an agreement with ISG to work with a committee of residents to define three concepts leading to the development of one final design for a new pool to include cost estimates. The agreement carries a cost of $7,500.
• During its 39-day swim season, the pool has used approximately 700,000 gallons of water.
2021
• Two architecture/engineering firms present their concepts for a new pool at Judge Lewis Park.
ISG provided cost estimates of between $5.3 million to $7.4 million.
JEO Consulting Group presented an estimate of $4.6 million.
After an hour-long discussion, the council votes to move forward with JEO as the project’s designer.
• Despite leaks estimated at 5,500 gallons a day, the pool is set to reopen for the 2021 season. In light of progress on plans for a new pool, Superintendent Wise said it would not be cost effective spending money to fix the leaks at this time.
• The city council receives options to finance the new pool. It is explained the city currently does not have the general obligation debt capacity to issue traditional bond amounts to cover costs.
• JEO delivers a final design to the city council, one which carries a cost estimate of $3.299 million. A public presentation is set for spring.
2022
• Once opened for the 2022 swim season, it is reported the pool is losing a greater-than-expected 16,000 gallons of water per day.
• The city council continues to wrestle with funding sources. At the latest tally, current donations and pledges total $500,000. Grants are available up to $1.1 million, but the awarding of grants is not guaranteed. The city could propose a bond referendum of up to $2 million. That leaves approximately $350,000 left to come from future donations.
On a 3-2 vote, the council agrees to hire a bonding attorney to draw up papers for a referendum on a $2 million bond to go on the November ballot.
It is later learned the city cannot place a November referendum due to an obscure state law. The council then moves the referendum to a March 2023 vote.
• JEO presents a timeline for construction of a new pool that could be open as soon as May 2025.
• The city council meets with county supervisors to gauge interest in entering into a loan agreement with the city for the new pool. Financial advisors state the county has the necessary debt capacity to carry such an agreement. No decision is reached.
• Superintendent Wise reports to the council that state inspectors have told him the pool would not pass inspection and cannot open until pipes in the recirculation system can be repaired or replaced.
The project would require the tearing out of large sections of the concrete pool decking at an estimated cost of $13,652.
In addition, Wise said there was no guarantee the removal of the decking would reveal the problem with the system.
On a 3-2 vote, the council voted to move forward with the removal of the deck.
Later, once the decking had been removed, Wise said the excavation had revealed broken pipes as well as deteriorating concrete along the pool shell.
• Wise reports that extra features in the design of a new pool have been eliminated in order to reduce costs down to between $2.9 million and $3.2 million.
• At a public meeting of the council held in the Assembly Room at the courthouse, Wise reports that since 2013 the city has spent $185,597.76 on repairs at the pool, $124,499 of which went to engineering, studies, and surveys.
At the same meeting, the concept of a Ringgold Center (later known as the Gold Center) is explained. Located on land adjacent to the Ringgold County Hospital, the Center would feature a hybrid pool along with space for career and technical education and increased health and wellness programming.
2023
• The $2 million bond referendum passes, 200-89. The funds are earmarked for a new pool facility, regardless of style and location.
• In a major development, the state pool inspector has ruled the pool cannot open until a state engineer inspects the integrity of the pool because the recent excavation revealed a questionable foundation.
In addition, continual leaks adversely affect chlorine levels in the pool, creating a safety risk in violation of Iowa Code.
A city council motion to move forward with the building of an outdoor pool at Judge Lewis Park fails on a 3-2 vote.
As a result, the pool will remain closed for the duration of the 2023 swim season.
• The council contracts with Waters Edge Aquatic Design to provide design, engineering, and oversight on the new pool at Judge Lewis with an estimated completion date of 2025.
2024
• In a pleasant surprise, construction bids for the new pool come in nearly $500,000 below engineer’s estimates. As a result, project designers are able to reinstate many of the features removed from the project earlier.
• Due to construction, the pool remains closed for the 2024 season.
• In another major development, the city is awarded a $340,000 state Community Attraction and Tourism grant, the final piece to the funding puzzle for the creation of the new pool at Judge Lewis Park.
