What should the Town of Bonnyville do about the local swimming pool? That is the question councillors are preparing to address, as local residents continue to voice their displeasure over the declining state of the pool.
Council touched on the topic during their Nov. 24 meeting, with many feeling they needed to provide the public with an in-depth explanation into the pool's situation.
“We as a council have to show (the public) that this is a daunting task we are up against and saving so much each year isn't going to cut it,” said Mayor Gene Sobolewski.
The cost of a new, Olympic-sized swimming pool that will meet the needs of the community is estimated at approximately $30 million, according to Town CAO Mark Power.
The large price tag was estimated after administration looked into what other communities throughout the province recently spent on similar swimming pool projects.
Power, at the request of council, will be taking a deeper look at the probable cost of a new swimming pool and preparing a scenario that council can present to the public.
“We need to start having a discussion,” said Sobolewski. “It is something that is going to take a (lengthy) planning cycle.”
According to council, the Town of Bonnyville spends approximately $3 million of its own money – taxpayers' dollars – per infrastructure project. Projects that cost over and above $3 million have seen large contributions from outside sources like provincial and federal grants.
While the Town understands what the prospect of a new pool means to the community, they are not prepared to throw a ton of tax payers' money into the creation of a new recreational facility.
“For the discussion we are saying we are going to burden the tax payers with 10 per cent of this project,” said Power.
Ten per cent of the swimming pool project is $3 million, leaving the town faced with the task of finding ways to fund the other 90 per cent, or $27 million.
“This is the wall we are about to smack into to create a new pool,” said Sobolewksi.
The need for a new swimming pool is just one of many projects that has been put on the Town's radar as a lot of local infrastructure is in need of repair or replacing.
“We have an infrastructure deficit in this Town that is $200 million and that is all critical infrastructure,” said Power. “I am going to suggest that a swimming pool is not critical infrastructure.”
The Town Hall building, which houses the local administration has reached its end of life and is in dire need of replacing.
The local library has outgrown the expanding population and is in need of an expansion.
The cast iron water mains throughout the entire town are rusted and crumbling every year leading to leaks and road issues.
The list of projects is a lengthy one for council, and finding a way to divide up the money to accomplish as much as they can is the task they have in front of them.
“Maybe it is time to start the conversation that one major (regional) swimming pool might be a good idea,” said Coun. Jim Cheverie.
“For the Town to take on a $30 million pool…the City of Cold Lake is looking to take on a $40 million pool. Wouldn't it makes sense to join together and make a $50 million water park?” asked Cheverie.
Many councillors feel that collaboration is the best way the town has of finding any grant money from the provincial and federal governments.
Councillors took turns throwing out their opinions on the subject feeling that it might be one of the topics discussed when the public comes to the budget open house at Town Hall on Dec. 1.
The hope is that administration will have a rough plan drawn up, including a number that would need to be raised outside of the town's commitment of ten per cent.
“At least what this does it put on the plate what our thinking is in 2015,” said Sobolewski.
