The Centralia Fairview Park Pool Committee met on Tuesday to discuss concepts for a new aquatic fixture in Fairview Park. After lengthy discussion, the committee decided to wait for more information concerning both finances and public opinion before presenting a specific project to the city council. Between now and the committee’s next meeting in October, Centralia will send out a survey online to gauge residents’ interest in a new pool and/or splash pad in Fairview Park, and whether they would support a property or sales tax increase to fund the project. This survey is solely to measure public interest during this early planning stage; if the city council later approves a pool project (and a necessary tax increase to go with it), Centralia residents will vote on it in a referendum.
Due to other spending needs which may limit the city’s bond capacity, funding any pool project will require careful financial decisions by the City of Centralia, as Economic Development Director Derek Sherman explained:
“The committee wants to have some operations costs for what it would cost to operate a pool, a splash pad, or a combination of that. Additionally, we are going to try to gather what our bonding capacity would be if we were to do this type of project, a new pool or a new splash pad, and what revenue we would have with tax increases, whether that be property or sales tax increases.”
Burbach Aquatics’ early estimates place the cost of a pool at upwards of $3.6 million, with the addition of a splash pad adding another $400 thousand. A splash pad on its own would cost significantly less, under $1 million, but could be an unsatisfying compromise for those who want a full-fledged pool.
The committee chose to cancel its scheduled September meeting and will reconvene on Tuesday, October 10.
