Aquatic center being considered as part of tax plan

Development of an indoor aquatic center that could possibly host state high school swimming championships could be among the parks projects funded if Cape Girardeau voters extend a parks/stormwater sales tax next year.

The City Council and city staff discussed the idea and other parks and stormwater projects at a special two-hour study session last week at the Osage Centre.

City manager Scott Meyer said the tax plan calls for spending two-thirds of the tax money on park projects and the other third on stormwater projects.

But city officials stressed no decisions have been made on what will or won't be funded with such at tax.

Meyer said city officials plan to hold several open houses this fall to obtain public input on what projects should be funded.

Saxony Lutheran swimmers practice Friday at the Central Municipal Pool in Cape Girardeau.Fred Lynch

City officials hope to finalize a plan by December.

An aging pool

Parks and recreation director Julia Thompson said concerns with the aging Central Municipal Pool need to be addressed.

The city and the Cape Girardeau School District share in the cost of operating the Olympic-size pool, with the city paying 60 percent of the cost.

Constructed in 1979, the pool is used by about 35,000 people annually, Thompson said.

But the structure faces a number of challenges, including air quality and mechanical issues, inadequate deck space, an aging locker room area and limited concession and parking space, Thompson said.

The pool operates year-round thanks to an inflatable "bubble" that covers the facility during winter months. Renovations were made to the facility about six years ago.

But the aging pool still needs major work, according to city officials.

Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard said, "Something has to be done."

The bubble needs to be replaced, which could cost half a million dollars, Thompson said.

Aquatic complex

City council members and city staff suggested it might be better to develop an indoor, two-pool aquatic complex at the Osage Centre on a site that is used as a rugby field.

Such a complex could include a diving well and a warm-up area for swimmers, officials said.

Major improvements at the current pool site could cost $6 million and shut down the pool for probably a year, Thompson said.

Constructing an aquatic complex could cost in the $12 to $15 million range, city officials said.

Ward 6 Councilman Danny Essner, who served on the parks and recreation advisory board, said the city needs a first-rate indoor aquatic center.

"That is the one amenity from a recreational standpoint that we are missing for a town our size," he said.

Cape Girardeau Central High School has a championship boys swimming team, and there are a growing number of swim clubs that use the Central Pool, officials said.

Essner said it would be "nice to have a key project" to help sell the tax measure to voters.

Mayor Harry Rediger said the city needs to consider possible "cost sharing" with the school district to build an aquatic center.

City manager Scott Meyer said such a partnership likely could not be in place by the April election.

An aquatic facility is one of nearly 20 park projects and 20 stormwater projects being considered for possible funding, city officials said.

But the tax plan won't generate enough money to fund all the suggested projects over the next 15 years, officials added.

City finance director John Richbourg said some projects could be funded on a pay-as-you-go basis and through the issuance of bonds.

Under that scenario, the city could spend $24.4 million on parks projects and $11.58 million on stormwater capital-improvement projects over the next 15 years, he said.

Rediger said "bonding is expensive."

Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox suggested the city could issue fewer bonds and phase in projects over a longer period of time.

Several council members said they favor making improvements to Capaha Park Lagoon. City staff did not include the project on the list of proposed projects.

Thompson said the lagoon has "silted in over the years," which affects water quality.

Meyer said deepening the lagoon would reduce the amount of algae.

Dredging alone would cost about half a million dollars, Thompson said.

Dredging and improving the lagoon could cost upward of $750,000, Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox said.

City officials said improvements could include reshaping the lagoon and installing a new and handicapped accessible sidewalk around it.

Trails and ball fields

The list of possible park projects include widening the Cape LaCroix Trail and developing new trails at an estimated cost $2 million, and development of a ball field complex at Arena Park at a cost of $2.5 million, city staff said.

Adding at least five new restroom facilities in various city parks is on the drawing board at an estimated cost of $350,000.

Ward 2 Councilwoman Shelly Moore said she would like to see improvements made to Indian and Ranney parks, which are used heavily by the city's black residents.

She and other council members said every park should have permanent restrooms.

Ward 1 Councilman Joseph Uzoaru favors the trail projects, but he questioned whether the city needs such a strong focus on sports facilities. If the city develops a costly aquatic complex, "neighborhood parks will suffer," he said.

But both Guard and Ward 5 Councilman Bob Fox said sports facilities are important to attract tournaments, which boost sales tax revenue to help fund city operations.

Voters approved a parks/stormwater half-cent sales tax in April 2008. The tax includes a one-eighth-cent permanent sales tax and a three-eighth-cent tax that expires next year.

City officials propose to increase the permanent sales tax by another eighth of a cent to provide more money for operations and maintenance of parks and stormwater services and allocate the other quarter-cent to capital improvement projects.

The quarter-cent tax would sunset after 15 years under the plan being considered by the council.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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