Cape council moves ahead with feasibility study for aquatics center project

The Cape Girardeau City Council voted to hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for an indoor aquatic center, including evaluating where to locate it.

Prior to the vote, Ward 4 Councilman Robbie Guard expressed concern about �opening up� site selection.

He suggested the council in the past in closed session had voiced support for building an aquatic center on city property near Jefferson Elementary School. But Mayor Bob Fox said council members had not made such a commitment.

Cape Girardeau School District officials repeatedly have pushed to locate the facility near the elementary school.

Fox, who serves on the joint city/school Aquatics Facility Committee, said the consultant, Colorado-based Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative, will look at all possible sites.

The mayor said �if someone comes up with a boatload of money� to donate to the project it could influence the decision on where to build the center.

The feasibility/operational study is expected to cost between $45,000 and $55,000, according to parks and recreation director Julia Jones.

Jones wrote in a council agenda report the study, in addition to looking at possible sites, will involve a needs assessment, project partnership recommendations, preliminary conceptual design and capital-cost estimates.

City officials said the consultant will hold several public meetings as part of the feasibility study.

Revenue from the city�s parks and stormwater sales tax will pay for the study, officials said.

The hiring of an aquatics consultant was just one of several spending measures approved by the council.

The council approved a design-build contract with Penzel Construction of Jackson for improvements to Capaha Field. The project is expected to cost about $1.5 million, including $1 million from the city. The Cape Catfish baseball organization will contribute the other $500,000 to the project, city officials said.

Council members approved the issuance of $8.7 million in special obligation bonds to fund several parks and stormwater projects, including the Capaha Field work. Parks and stormwater tax money will be used to retire the debt, officials said.

The council also agreed to pay $310,500 to the Missouri Department of Transportation to install traffic signals at the intersection of U.S. 61 and Veterans Memorial Drive in conjunction with the highway department�s plan to rebuild a nearby Interstate 55 interchange.

The traffic signals and a left turn lane to provide easier access to the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex will be built as part of the interchange project, city officials said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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