Port Angeles will send pool bond to voters in November

PORT ANGELES — A bond issue for an aquatics center plus a building for indoor soccer and tennis at the Clallam County Family YMCA site at 302 S. Francis St. will appear on the Nov. 7 election ballot.

Preliminary figures presented Tuesday night were a $13.75 million bond issue costing $131 a year for the owner of a $150,000 home.

The soccer and tennis building will add an estimated $550,000 to the bond issue for a total of $14.3 million.

The City Council voted 6-0 at its Tuesday night meeting to proceed with aquatics center design “option two” that keeps the aquatics center separate from the adjacent YMCA building.

City Councilman Gary Braun abstained, objecting to inclusion of the soccer and tennis building at this point in the process.

The council also voted 7-0 to have city staff proceed with details of a bond issue to be brought back for its review at the Sept. 5 meeting or earlier.

Option two

The “option two” design includes a 51,447 square-foot building with spectator seating for 160 people plus a pool deck and 400 lockers.

It has 2,130 square feet of lap swimming space in six 25-year lanes and 4,800 square feet of leisure pool space in three 25-meter lanes plus a diving area.

It also has an irregular-shaped leisure pool; a spa pool; a dry training room; deck circulation and sitting areas and a family patio area; and a mezzanine viewing area.

Separate shower and changing areas for the aquatics center and the YMCA are planned in case the two separate in later years.

The city is exploring a joint arrangement where the city would own the aquatics center but the YMCA would operate it.

If the Nov. 7 bond issue is approved, design would begin in January 2007. Then advertising for bids would begin in January 2008 with the bid award in March 2008.

Construction would be completed by October 2009 and the aquatics center would open in December 2009 or January 2010.

Soccer, tennis building

The proposal also will include a indoor soccer and tennis building located next to the aquatics center that would add another $550,000 to the bond issue.

City Councilman Larry Williams said option two would be 25 percent larger than option one for $500,000 more.

“It is larger for a fraction of the cost, although some things might have to be pared down later,” he said.

When Mayor Karen Rogers asked for a show of hands from the approximately 70 audience members, virtually everyone voted for option two.

Deputy Recreation Director Bill Sterling said the vote was the same at two other public meetings.

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