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 A group of youngsters enjoy the cool water of the Fort Scott City Pool earlier this summer. The Fort Scott City Commission will hold a work session at 6 p.m. Tuesday night to discuss possible options for the future of the faclity. (Tribune file photo) [Click to enlarge] |
Kale Nelson, co-convener of the committee formerly known as Aquavision, said the committee will be visiting with the commission about the needs for a new pool in Fort Scott as well as funding opportunities.
"We're going to discuss what type of funding options there are and what type of things the commission is willing to support," Nelson said.
According to Nelson, the plans have been scaled back a bit from the previous attempt in 2006, when voters denied a city sales tax increase to fund the project. He said the plans will be determined by funding and direction from the commission as far as what needs should be addressed.
"There could be literally hundreds of plans for amenities to the pool," Nelson said.
Although the sales tax increase was denied, Nelson said the committee is still sticking with the charge which was given to them by the citizens.
"The original charge by the community ... was for Fort Scott to have an updated and useable indoor/outdoor facility," Nelson said. "The goal is still the same ... we need a new aquatics center. This pool is close to being too old for use."
The pool was built in 1936 and underwent a major renovation in the early 1970's. The renovation included updates to the recirculation system and process piping, replacement of the underwater lights, replacement of the pool deck, and some renovation to the bathhouse interior.
A facility evaluation performed by Larkin Aquatics in October 2006 reported a water loss of approximately 125,000 gallons per day when the pool is first put in operation each season and that the loss is reduced to approximately 40,000 gallons per day once the subsoil surrounding the pool structure becomes saturated.
Other issues pointed out in the evaluation included the poor condition of the floor of the pool basin and a significant water loss from the pool presenting possibility of subgrade soil erosion beneath the pool structure.
The study also stated that a hammer test of the pool basin indicated numerous areas of voids beneath the pool slab or delamination of the concrete. Also noted in the report were some of the wet-niche underwater lights were leaking an could present a risk of electric shock.
"The City of Fort Scott has an aquatic facility that is rich in history and is deserving of attention," the report said. "The facility has done well by greatly exceeding its expected life and continuing to serve the community as best it is able."
The work session is open to the public and will be held in the Commission Room at City Hall, 1 E. 3rd St.
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Aw why didn't the aquatic center be allowed to develop in the first place? Come on these kids need something!!
I have very mixed emotions about the old pool. It's a hallmark of the city, and has always been a huge draw for the summer. Video games and other indoor entertainment opportunities have taken away some of the attendance, which I am sure will hurt the money it takes in. The swim classes available to youngsters are the best in the state, which makes Fort Scott ripe for a High School Swim team. ? I'm thinking renovate the current pool, maybe even downsize it, with a splash pad and big 1 foot deep pool for the kiddies, redo the bath house fromt he ground up. I'm just not all for digging it up and hauling it to the dump...... yet.
As a kid growing up in Fort Scott, the pool was an important part our our lives. Not only did we learn how to swim there, it was a huge source of safe recreation and entertainment. It would be such a shame to see this facility be gone. The saddest part is, this is something that is available to even the neediest kids and families for a reasonable fee. What would those kids turn to for recreation? Not everyone in Fort Scott is fortunate enough to have a pool behind their house.
As a kid growing up in Fort Scott, the pool was an important part our our lives. Not only did we learn how to swim there, it was a huge source of safe recreation and entertainment. It would be such a shame to see this facility be gone. The saddest part is, this is something that is available to even the neediest kids and families for a reasonable fee. What would those kids turn to for recreation? Not everyone in Fort Scott is fortunate enough to have a pool behind their house.
with all due respect, FSHS needs to focus on education, not adding more sports
As a member of the current swim team I think that an indoor pool is needed. If you particapet in Swim team in anyway you would know that Chanute almost beat us this year. I think that not only could we have an all year around swim team for any ages but that a High school swimteam would be wonderful. Some can not do football, cheerleading, basketball..... But can swim.
Anyone remember that our city pool closed after the first week of August, one week before school started?? Wasn't this due to lack of interest and not being able to find folks willing to work as lifeguards? Now we're going to look into putting in a facility that will put the community in debt and try to run it year round. Remember, the pool does not make money. Not only is it going to cost the tax payers millions to build, but every day it's in operation, it's losing more money.
My question is, how can the city operate a facility year round when they can't even keep our current pool open for the entire summer?
In the comments section below the article about our City Manager "not being serious" about applying for another job elsewhere, another person and I were said to be once again "dissing" the pool idea. It also mentions that the other person "doesn't even LIVE here" (as if that should make any difference.) If it does make a difference, wouldn't it also make a difference that a good number of the aqua-vision committee, who are in support of the tax increase, don't live here either?
I thought that one of the benefits to a new aquatic center was to attract those who live outside of town to come to it.
I do live here, and in close proximity to the existing pool. I am witness to a daily flow of kids, teens and adults passing by each day to and from the pool. I think one reason they do so often is because it is currently very affordable.
I did not support the previous plan because I felt it was too costly, and was not in favor of maxing out our sales tax on an amenity instead of other necessities.
I also know this will come as a shock to most, but a very good friend of mine of many years happens to be in the business of building municipal swimming pools in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. I asked him why a pool could not be fixed and upgraded. He explained the new systems, pumps etc. are not cost effective to retrofit. (Kind of like working on rehabbing a dilapidated structure instead of saving time and money building new.) He explained it in a way I can understand. What I am saying is I am not necessarily totally against a newer, nicer facility, however it would be rather difficult to support it right now in these economic times.
I also wonder what America would be like if we weren't allowed to voice our opinions. If we had to maintain a "positive attitude" and support everything set before us. If we had to pretend that the streets in our community were just fine, and that everything that one group or another, just because it is in the name of "betterment" we had to agree with or be belittled and demeaned as "nay sayers", "bitchers and moaners" or "negative complainers."
It amuses me that those that make attacks on the "negative" folks do it in such a "negative way."
I also wonder when and where the vision committee was given a "charge" by the community to build an indoor facility. Was that the outcome of the Community survey?
How many millions of dollars are we going spend so the Chanute swim team doesn't beat us and is it worth that much to have 'bragging rights?' The kids on the swim team want an indoor facility to use year round. How many of them plan to stick around after they get out of school to help pay for it?
This isn't just about bragging rights. Part of it is about us being able to practice year around so we can get into college. Most of us are going to end up going to the community college anyway. And staying here for the rest of our life.Anyway, what else are kids supposed to do here? I don't like any other sports but swimming and there is nothing to do here for teenagers. I mean unless you want us to get into drugs and achol?
I too grew up using the pool and can understand both sides. Sooner or later we are going to have to make major repairs to continue to use the pool,so there should be some way to meet in the middle to presurve and enhance our pool.
Ok Mr Prue seeing you and the commission think you know so much about people of this town.
You like inviting your friends in the pool business to look at the pool you have once again proved my point.
All you want to do is help your friends make money and basically forget who you work for.
Yes I think it is ridiculous that people on this commission dont live here and they dont even have kids here or they send their kids off to camp.
Maybe its time we take donations from the commission and other owners of big businesses in fort scott to get this and I am certainly tired of the of seeing our kids lose places to go and I m sorry the commissioners are doing no one any favors for the people they serve instead they help their friends get rich off of us. As for our sports team yes part of it is bragging rights all kids should be proud of their school and as parents, we are all proud of our kids and we all want the best for them.
I also commend the student who stood up and said the same thing every student in fort scott has said,
Now that said All of you on that commission need to get off your tails and get busy and help get new businesses in here so we can afford things needed for the future of this town forget street signs and the other junk we dont need and get things this town needs badly no wonder kids leave here fast as they can and now you can see why. I think its time these commissioners start thinking about the right things and they all need to be accountable for the problems in this town.
Who do I work for mr. x?
Well Mr X. Negativity and attacks never solved any of our problems.
Thom_Prue, I hope you are working for all the citizens rich and poor. I believe we all need to focus more on the present issues rather than the past and future. Let's help one and another now (today).
I believe this pool issue needs to be tabled for now and we need to focus on jobs and humanitarian issues.
Anyone read that the City is supposed to have a reserve of $600,000 and are down to $250,000? Budget cuts were just made that will effect snow removal this winter and getting the weeds cut down around the City. The darn weeds will be so high that you won't be able to see the pool anyway. This is not economic development. Economic development happens when those that already have business interests here allow outside businesses to come in so that people are attracted to the town and the numerous empty houses get residents and a living wage is established here. I don't have an issue with making NECESSARY repairs until which time as the City has a better financial situation but anything else is nothing more than feeding some group's pet project. Don't these people have even a basic understanding of economics? Obviously not or they just don't care and neither situation is good for the City. I swear if you all think other cities run like this, you need to get to get some air!
Well, I am not an engineer, yet I have heard that voids under roads and pools can easaly be fixed by drilling a hole in the surface and pumping a mixture of sand and concrete makes a inexpencive repair that could last for years.
If the city has no plans to build a new Aque center or add on to our exsisting pool, lets fix what we have right so it can last another 50 years.
I think you'd find that many concrete slabs have void spaces under them. It's probaby been like this for years. There are more important things that need to be addressed rather than digging this up again for more discussion. We need to get some industries & jobs in town, then we can consider more toys.
I certainly agree with the last 3 comments. I do feel it necessary though to point out that I AM NOT, nor have I EVER BEEN any elected official of this community. I RAN for Commission, 3 times without success, the only way that I work for "the people" is in the form of taxes, the same as most anyone else.
If the majority of the voting public is as uninformed about who their Commissioners actually are it is no wonder that I didn't get elected, because if the majority of voters felt I was already a Commissioner they apparently were voting for change.
Thom: In Fort Scott, "change" is a four letter word and that also explains the math deficiency which let them get down to $250,000 before making budget cuts when they needed a $600,000 reserve. It will really make Fort Scott look like a superior city when they can't afford to clear snow and ice and have just put bells and whistles on their swimming pool - that speaks of a certain type of people with a certain set of values which will make a statement about Fort Scott that will definitely keep the rest of the "outsiders" outside. For the life of me, "they" keep crying about saving the downtown because of the historical value yet, this beautiful pool (I first seen it when I went up with the news guy from KOAM-TV before the sales tax vote and it was breath-taking) means nothing and let's face it, is it really in worse shape then the downtown area - I can't imagine it could be. I doubt they have really looked at repairing it since we all know that is not what they want. They say something to the effect that they want to do what the people want, well, we already said that we don't want to increase the sales tax to pay for a new pool. It would be nice if a new group was formed to save the current pool and do the true research needed to do the repairs but I know that won't happen.
http://www.fstribune.com/story/1563686.h... - check out this article for a condition report on Fort Scott's ability to pay the bills!
http://www.fstribune.com/story/1563686.h... - check out this article for a condition report on Fort Scott's ability to pay the bills!