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Aquatic center can wait, supporters say
Published 8:39pm Monday, March 16, 2009Supporters of a Fergus Falls aquatic center say their project can wait in light of other city priorities.
In speaking to the city council Monday, Dave Schneeberger, chair of the aquatic center task force, said the group is hopeful about the project’s future, but realistic about current economic constraints.
“We haven’t wiped it off the table, but it’s certainly taken a back seat,” he said.
The city council ranked an aquatic center ninth out of 10 project priorities in July 2008. After a series of meetings over the summer, the group came to a consensus on their top choices for future projects: street improvements, law enforcement space needs and maintenance at City Hall.
A key question for members of the task force has been whether a Fergus Falls center would be indoor, outdoor or both. When residents were asked in last year’s Community Attitude and Interest Survey through Parks and Recreation, 57 percent of respondents favored a combination facility, while 35 percent said they didn’t think any facility was needed.
Schneeberger estimated construction of a combination facility at $10-$11 million. A completely outdoor center could be $5-7 million. Schneeberger said the group did not yet have an estimate of how many private dollars could fund the project.
In late 2006, the task force discussed tying an aquatic center into Pebble Lake beach, but decided to leave the beach as it is. Since then, Adams Park, Godel Park and even parts of the Regional Treatment Center property have been discussed as possible aquatic center locations, Schneeberger said.
Members of the task force have visited several aquatic facilities around the Midwest since the group’s inception in 2006. Admission to these aquatic centers averaged $4-6 daily per person and $120-$150 annually, Schneeberger said.
While an aquatic center may be on the back burner for now, several other projects are still up for council consideration. These include expansion at the Fergus Falls Public Library, a new ice arena and the street, law enforcement and City Hall needs discussed in 2008.
At Monday’s work session, Jay Cichosz of the Third Ward said council members need to share their opinions with each other in a frank, open discussion.
“I think if we’re going to be an independent-thinking group, with (staff) guidance at the core of our decisions, that’s the way we’ve got to do it,” he said.
A work session was set for March 30, at which time Finance Director Bill Sonmor will present information on how each project would be funded.
