Council requests plans for capitol projects
By Dave Fidlin
Correspondent
After years of operating in the red, leaders behind the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center have painted a rosier picture on the amenity’s future.
But questions continue to permeate, including how a series of capitol improvement projects will be funded at the center, which has been in operation 13 years.
“As with any public building, key facilities within the center are now reaching the end of their useful life and are in need of replacement,” City Manager Cameron Clapper said at a Common Council meeting May 20. “The funding currently provided annually by the city and the school district is primarily for operating expenses.”
The aquatic center was initially conceived as a piloted 15-year project. With that window of time drawing to a close, organizers are working with city and district officials to draw up a second-phase plan for the facility.
Director Paula Malone and board President Steve Ryan came before the council and discussed good news and future concerns during their annual report at the recent council meeting.
At the moment, Ryan said the center has more than 800 active members. The figure can fluctuate, but he asserted it holds steady.
Leaders asserted residents especially took advantage of the facility during the most recent harsh winter. “It drew people indoors,” Ryan said.
More recently, Malone, Ryan and other leaders initiated several energy-efficient upgrades, including implementation of an ultraviolet system that keeps the pool clean but relies less on chlorine and other chemicals.
But there are a number of other pressing issues on the horizon for the center, including a need for a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
The council is expected to further discuss some of the long-range capitol needs in the months ahead. But several members implored aquatic center leaders to have a document in place that outlines plans well into the future.
“We can’t do this piecemeal,” council member Ken Kidd said of capitol requests. “We can’t plan for it, budget-wise. I’m not voting for anything until we have a plan.”
