Jefferson pool set to open next week

The Jefferson Elementary Aquatic Center in Cape Girardeau will open to the public Monday, April 3, with a ribbon-cutting to follow later in the week.

The grand opening event for the pool will take place at 1 p.m. Thursday, April 6. The ceremony will include presentations from Cape Girardeau Public Schools and City of Cape Girardeau staff, as well as facility tours and refreshments.

The pool was scheduled to have a soft launch in March. School and city officials said the opening was delayed until a few punch-list items could be finished.

The pool at the elementary school is the result of a yearslong endeavor to create a state-of-the-art aquatic facility in Cape Girardeau that resulted in the Jefferson pool and adding a permanent structure to Central Municipal Pool.

The Jefferson facility will be operated by a partnership between the city and school district.

City Council members and Board of Education members voted earlier this year to approve the operating agreement — that is valid until Dec. 31 — for Jefferson Pool.

The hours of operation are divided between the school district and municipality. During the school year, the district will have sole use of the facility from 8 to 11 a.m. and from 1 to 3:30 p.m. during the week. The city will have sole use from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m. during the week, and weekend use from 1 to 5 p.m.

Outside of the school year, the city will have sole use of the pool from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and from 1 to 5 p.m. on the weekend. Cape Girardeau Public Schools would need the city's written consent to have sole use of the pool during summer school classes.

Starting April 3, the city will host the following events during its hours of operation:

• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — water exercise classes.
• 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays — fitness swim.
• 3 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays — public recreational swim hours.
• 3 to 8 p.m. Fridays — public recreational swim hours.
• Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays — public recreational swim hours.

Operating costs for the facility will be split 50-50 between the school district and the municipality. However, each entity will take the lead on different aspects because of existing contacts and contracts. The city is solely responsible for covering costs related to the aquatics supervisor and coordinator.

The agreement states 25% of revenue will be sent to the city as a "management fee" for the pool. The remaining 75% of the revenue will be split evenly.