It's time for a new city pool, a complex would be nice as well.
We can tear down the present one, and make parking for the rec center and football stadium. Or, tear it down and put the new one there.
A new one, the location is negotiable.
Would the restaurant tax be used for this, as far as building and operation. Or would the occupational tax.
A multi use, year round facility is needed. That way, it's a year round operation. Now, residents and visitors go to the various other pools, Tattersall, Golf course, and even some hotels allow locals to swim for a fee. Many persons have birthday or other parties at local hotels by renting a room, close to the pool, so their kids can swim. This is money lost by the city ( I say that in a general sense).
Year round swimming lessons, get a contract SCUBA instructor to give classes, and even water aerobics could be offered. The Baptist center offers these, and all their tax money goes to laurel county. That said, theirs is a private for profit facility. Yes, ours will have to make money, but the better a facility we have, the more we'll make.
Just some fuel for the fire with all the money we got coming in.
It's worth studying, and if we start looking into it now, we'll know in a couple of years the feasibility of it.
After all, our present pool is coming up on 50 years old, with no major renovations of late to improve it other than the necessary items.
And, an after thought, the school system could even develop a swim and water sports related program. The BOE could even kick in with sponsorship money to help it operate.
This is one idea that needs to be explored further. Our city pool is an excellent recreational dept draw, and if we had on indoors, it would do great in the winter.
I think we need to look at this as much as the ball fields up on Gordon Hill. This would be a year round activity.
