School/County joint pool project

[wrobert]

Currently the BCC helps fund a joint project for a municipal pool in Freeport. I wonder what would be the problem with trying to establish these same joint ventures with the school district. Why could you not design something that could be used during school hours by the students, and available to the public after hours and weekends. The district could fund the initial capital projects and the BCC could contribute annually to the operational costs since it would be available to the public. The YMCA could also manage the public use like they do in Freeport. It would not be free, but freely available. Right now I think they charge 1 dollar per person per session to come use the city pool to offset costs. Just a thought I believe is worth pursuing. It is ashamed that for what we are spending on new facilities we do not have any sort of swim programs in place.

 

[seagrovegirl]

It's a great idea...just bad timing. It costs money and sowal has the gulf and lakes to swim in.

 

[wrobert]

It's a great idea...just bad timing. It costs money and sowal has the gulf and lakes to swim in.

At the current rates the district is collecting around 20 million a year in capital dollars. The capital millage rate is almost the same as it was in 1988 yet assessed values are 15 times higher. They have showed little inclination to reduce these taxes. So after WHS is paid for this year, and we do Emerald Coast Middle School next year, which would be paid over a couple of years, I believe that the dollars may be there to do something along those lines while passing a significant tax cut. The county appears to making recreation a top priority in their budget. Examples are the five million dollars in Freeport for the ball fields and the five million to go to the Huetell property. While the district is restricted on capital projects, the BCC enjoys no such restriction, as they finish out there current project list, they have nothing significant to work on and again, I see little inclination for the millage rates to be further reduced.

 

[ShallowsNole]

It's a great idea...just bad timing. It costs money and sowal has the gulf and lakes to swim in.

'Tis true, but there is serious interest in establishing a swim team at SWHS (might actually be a sport we are suited for!). Hard to practice for that in the Gulf these days without getting sucked out to sea.

 

[SGB]

The current plan is to put a pool on the 7 acres the county owns near the library. The thought was that it would be easy access for the high school. As far as I know though, there isn't any money to build the pool.

 

[jodiFL]

It's a great idea...just bad timing. It costs money and sowal has the gulf and lakes to swim in.

Then it could be argued that Freeport has the bay and creeks. I personally think that a pool around here would be an AWESOME idea considering that alot of folks dont live in gated communities with pools available.

 

[jodiFL]

The current plan is to put a pool on the 7 acres the county owns near the library. The thought was that it would be easy access for the high school. As far as I know though, there isn't any money to build the pool.

This is very true but sad that they say there is no money available to put a pool on acreage that the county already owns, when the cost of an Olympic sized pool SHOULD be less than $100,000. ( I priced one that was half that size for a homebuilder in the area and the bids all came back at less than $45k) Given the price increases in everything this past year, I would think that $200k would be more accurate now tho.

 

[wrobert]

This is very true but sad that they say there is no money available to put a pool on acreage that the county already owns, when the cost of an Olympic sized pool SHOULD be less than $100,000. ( I priced one that was half that size for a homebuilder in the area and the bids all came back at less than $45k) Given the price increases in everything this past year, I would think that $200k would be more accurate now tho.

I thought the pool in Freeport was around $400k. But still not a lot in the overall scheme of things.

 

[Jdarg]

Ahh... a local swimming pool....maybe it's time is finally coming?

A public pool should be a very high priority for SoWal.

 

[BrownEyedGull]

I live in Forsyth County, GA and we have a park (baseball & football/soccer fields with consession & restroom facilities) that is County Parks & Rec and is available for use by the elem school beside it. It's called Joint Venture Park. Great Idea!!!
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