Cape school officials announce updated plans for aquatic center

School officials will vote next month on whether to move ahead with a two-pool plan proposed to most closely satisfy the most needs in Cape Girardeau — renovating the existing Central Municipal Pool, or the Bubble, facility, and building a new leisure pool at Jefferson Elementary.

Representatives from the City of Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department Penny Williams, Julia Jones and Robert Shanahan gave a presentation to the Cape Girardeau School Board on Monday night, along with Josh Crowell, assistant superintendent—support services.

Crowell said the team, made up of more than just the four representatives, were there to present a plan for the pools’ operational costs, which did not include construction costs.

After reviewing recommendations from the aquatic center project advisory committee, and additional research, Crowell said, the team was able to take the consultants’ figures and refine those to better reflect the Cape Girardeau market, from lifeguard wages to more accurate utility costs.

“Consensus between the two entities (city and school district) was, the two-pool model looked more and more efficient for us, and more easily attained,” Crowell said.

PORCH vice chairwoman and aquatic center ad-hoc committee member Tamara Zellars Buck asks school board members to clarify numbers pertaining to the dimensions of a proposed aquatic center during a public discussion at a Cape Girardeau School Board meeting Monday at 301 N. Clark Ave. in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews

There will be at least a year of downtime while the municipal pool is taken down and rebuilt, Crowell said.

Based on the consultants’ projections and what is actually known, based on current pool operations, Williams said, for the municipal pool, initial costs in 2023 are expected to land at approximately $580,000, revenue of $212,000.

That revenue gap would be covered by a subsidy, which under the current agreement is a 60/40 split between the city and the school district, respectively, Williams said.

In 2024, costs are projected at $598,000, revenue $222,000; and in 2025, costs are estimated at $616,000 and revenue at $234,000.

The costs reflect planned increases in minimum wage for lifeguards and concession-stand workers, and inflation, Williams said.

Cape Girardeau School Board president Jeff Glenn asks representatives from the local PORCH group for their input regarding plans for two aquatic centers at a board meeting Monday at 301 N. Clark Ave. in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews

Crowell said the planned facility is the same square footage as that suggested by the consultant.

“The footprint for the municipal pool is there,” he said, but changes to accommodate better parking are possible.

The leisure pool at Jefferson Elementary has not been fully designed, Crowell said. To add features such as a slide or climbing wall, “the higher numbers you’ll have coming in, as children will want to play, and families will want to come there,” Crowell said.

The pool could also share some facilities with the school, Crowell said, such as locker rooms or concession areas, for a potential cost savings.

The leisure pool at Jefferson could potentially be cost-neutral within five years, Crowell said.

Cape Girardeau School District assistant superintendent Josh Crowell speaks to school board members during a presentation of developing plans for two pools during a board meeting Monday at 301 N. Clark Ave. in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews

Based on opening a facility in 2022, estimated expenditures the first year would be $344,000, costs $224,000, with the $120,000 subsidy split 60/40 between city and school district, as with the municipal pool.

In 2023, projected costs would be $354,000, revenue $235,000; and in 2024, costs $365,000, revenue $247,000.

Looking ahead, Crowell said, “both pools will enhance learning and wellness year-round.”

Crowell said one of Parks and Recreations’ concerns is, how often do children swimming at other facilities need help?

“We want our students to have a good general idea of water safety,” Crowell said, noting Cape Girardeau is a river city, and has many creeks and ponds nearby.

A 17-acre site owned by the City of Cape Girardeau and the Cape Girardeau School District is seen June 19, 2018, in this drone view just south of Jefferson Elementary School and north of Shawnee Park.Southeast Missourian file

The school board members will vote at the March meeting whether to move ahead with the projects, and the Cape Girardeau City Council will also weigh in, superintendent Neil Glass said.

After that, next steps include a geotechnical survey to determine what’s under the soil surface at the Jefferson Elementary site, and to readdress the agreement between city and school district, Crowell said.

Asking the community for input on the leisure pool’s design and features will be another consideration, moving ahead, he said.

“It’s exciting to realize where this could take off, where it could go,” Crowell said. “I think the two-pool model is viable, and is utilizing our resources in the best way possible.”

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The interior of Central Municipal Pool is seen from atop the high-dive Jan. 3, 2019.TYLER GRAEF

Aquatic Center project timeline

• April 2018: Cape Girardeau voters approve parks/stormwater tax, which includes $6 million in funding for indoor aquatic center.
• July 2018: Aquatic advisory committee, composed of representatives of the city and the Cape Girardeau School District, begin meeting to plan for the center.
• September 2018: The Aquatics Facility Committee recommends the Cape Girardeau City Council hire a Colorado-based firm to plan for an indoor aquatic center.
• October 2018: The City Council hires a consultant to do feasibility study for the aquatic center project
• November 2018: Proposed sites for aquatic center narrowed to three.
• December 2018: Jackson contractor proposes center be built on a 6-acre tract west of the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex. Cape Girardeau school officials say district won’t help fund project unless aquatic center is located on school grounds.
• December 2018: A divided committee votes to recommend constructing an indoor aquatic center near Jefferson Elementary School.
• January 2019: The Cape Girardeau City Council unanimously votes to build and operate an indoor aquatic center near Jefferson Elementary School in partnership with the Cape Girardeau School District.
• April 2019: Cape Girardeau School District voters approve bond issue, including $4 million for aquatic center project.
• June 2019: Ad hoc committee meets to begin detailing plans for a new indoor aquatic center.
• July 2019: Cape Girardeau City Council hires second consultant to plan for facility
• August 2019: Consultant says an indoor facility with a 50-meter competition pool and a separate recreational pool could cost more than $27 million.
• October 2019: Committee for first time considers two-pool plan involving renovation of Central Municipal Pool, and construction of an indoor leisure pool next to Jefferson Elementary School as way to stay within its $10 million construction budget.