Jersey Village City Council approved moving forward on a city pool design that would feature a diving board and two separate bodies of water in a 3-2 vote Feb. 9.
The big picture
Following narrow voter approval of Proposition C in November, authorizing $6.5 million for a new city pool, council members held a town hall Jan. 9 to gather feedback on several proposed designs.
The main differences between the three design options involved the number of swimming lanes and aquatic features, with the design featuring eight swimming lanes and a diving board gaining the most votes in favor during the Jan. 9 town hall.
The design, which received the most positive feedback from residents, was 6,940 square feet and included:
Eight lap lanesA connected open pool areaA tall waterslideDiving boardShaded pool areasHeated-water capabilitiesThe estimated cost provided by architectural firm Brandstetter Carroll for the recommended design was just over $5.75 million. However, citizens also requested that the pool area be separated into two bodies of water, one for lap swimming and one for more casual family use. The change adds roughly $300,000 to the estimated total cost of the project, City Manager Austin Bleess said during the meeting.
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The debate
Council member Simon Hughes said his major concern was ensuring the cost of the pool would be within the scope of the $6.5 million voter-approved bond. Hughes and council member Connie Rossi had concerns over the necessity of splitting the pool into separate bodies of water and adding a diving board area due to the additional cost.
“My thought is there is $300,000 you can save by keeping one pool, and there’s $200,000 you can save by not having a diving board … that’s a half a million dollars saved, and I would be inclined to go that way.”
Council member Jennifer McCrea said diving boards would serve as a pool attraction as well as provide another resource for local swim teams.
“Jersey Village having a diving board is kind of iconic to Jersey Village,” Mayor James Singleton said. “There are not a lot of pools with a diving board, and we were definitely known for having one, and there are always lines when it’s open.”
After extended discussion, McCrea put forth the motion to move forward on a two-pool design with a diving board. Singleton and Wasson supported the motion while Hughes and Rossi voted against; council member Michelle Martin was absent.
“I don’t want to spend money just because we can, but if this is a 50-year concept, then I would like to make the most of it as soon as we can,” council member Drew Wasson said.
Next steps
Bleess said the total cost of the approved design now totals just over $6 million, but the final cost could change depending on the timing of the pool’s construction and the bids submitted by contractors for the project.