Winter slowed swimming pools

All will miss early summer opening

Thu., March 26, 2009

By Pia Hallenberg piah@spokesman.com (509) 459-5427

The parks improvement bond

A $42.9 million bond passed in 2007, making it possible to replace the city’s five outdoor swimming pools and build a new outdoor pool at Shadle Park. Spray pads are scheduled to replace neighborhood wading pools.

The bond also provided funding for the first phase of a new sports complex at Joe Albi Stadium and Dwight Merkel Sports Complex. The new complex will eventually include softball and soccer fields, a skateboard park, a BMX bike course, play equipment and better parking and trail facilities. The construction contract for this $7.8 million project was just awarded to Bouten Construction Co.

Part of the funding for the Albi-Merkel Complex comes from sale of park property that voters approved in 1999, and from which $4 million is still held in reserve.

Source: Spokane Parks and Recreation

Pay to splash?

The Spokane Park Board proposed recently that children pay for part of their swim time. Last year, kids could swim free at each pool for 31 hours a week. Under the Park Board’s proposal, that number would be reduced to 20 hours a week, but pools would be open an extra 24 hours a week, during which children would have to pay $2.50.

A public hearing on the Park Board’s swim fee proposal is scheduled for May 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Boulevard. Comments can be submitted via e-mail at spokaneparks@spokanecity.org or by letter at Spokane Parks and Recreation, City Hall, Fifth Floor, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane WA 99201.

As the snow berms recede, the city of Spokane and its contractors are plunging ahead with swimming pool construction across town.

The harsh winter weather hampered construction in many ways. Thawing machines and heating blankets were brought in to allow crews to work through the snowstorms, yet it looks like the pools won’t be ready for summer break.

“We have not set an opening day yet,” said Carl Strong, recreation and aquatics supervisor for the city of Spokane, after last week’s pool update meeting. “It will come right down to the wire. It will be the end of summer before we announce anything concrete.”

Strong said Shadle and Cannon pools may be ready by August, and that Liberty pool is further behind than Witter.

“Earlier on, it was the other way around,” Strong said. “Everything considered, the contractor is meeting the new timeline and things are progressing well.”

In early February, the bottom of the Shadle pool was poured. The bottom of the Comstock pool is scheduled to be poured on April 6.

Part of the pool project is the construction of 11 splash pads that will replace wading pools. Five were ready last year, and six still need to be finished in Franklin, Glass, Manito, Pacific and Underhill parks, as well as one at the proposed Albi-Merkel neighborhood park.

“The splash pads are a lot simpler to do, and the toys are already here,” said Strong. “We expect them to be ready by the end of school.”

Another issue is what to do with applications for lifeguard and swimming instructor jobs.

“We already have applications coming in for those jobs,” said Strong. “We are going to try and communicate with applicants a bit later. We will be needing some people later in the season.”