The Centralia Pool Committee wants more public input before making a recommendation to the city council if the city should pursue a new pool or splash pad for Fairview Park.
The committee was appointed to look at options after some complaints were voiced to the city council about the lack of an outdoor pool after the old pool was no longer operational. It has now been removed, with the bathhouse remaining in the event it can be reused with a new pool or splash pad.
Centralia Economic Development Director Derek Sherman says those taking the Google Docs survey are being asked to voice their opinion on four choices. They are a barebones pool with a cost of $ 3.5 million, a barebones pool and a splash pad, a splash pad by itself, or a more expensive pool with more amenities that could cost in the $ 9 million range.
“The pool committee would like to have more public input. They wanted to hear what the citizens are really wanting and what they are willing to pay for or not pay for and the type of amenities they want or don’t want. They just really want to get a better read of the community. There has been a lot of discussion on social media. They are hoping to have a little better formal response from our community members via the survey.”
The survey is available via the city website or Facebook page. A QR code will also be placed on city water bills leading residents to the survey. Those outside the city can also respond, but their responses will be kept separate since it is city residents that would have to pay for the new facility most likely from a property tax or sales tax increase.
Sherman, who serves as the staff advisor to the committee, says they will meet again in October to review the survey results and begin working on their recommendation to the city council on how to proceed.
