CHENEY — The City Cuncil heard an update on the findings of NAC, Ballard and King Associates, Ltd., and WTI, concerning the pool assessment at its regular meeting March 28.
The report detailed two options for renovation and remodeling.
Both would be located at Hagelin Park, 711 Cedar St, and include a number of amenities and updates to the original structure.
Option No. 1 includes a 6-lane, 25-yard lap pool connected to a recreation pool; a zero-depth entry “beach” with spray features; a “small” lazy river with spray features; a drop slide; basketball hoops; and a new pool house.
Option No. 2 is the larger and more expensive of the two proposed options, and includes a flume slide; a climbing wall; a water walk; and a diving board.
After graphics showing these two options were shown, a representative from Ballard & King gave a business and operations analysis which covered business and operational expense projections.
Operational expenses as well as fee structures were presented and were based on an assumed minimum wage of $17.00 through 2025.
The entrance-fee structure projected daily, monthly, and season pass costs for individuals, youths, seniors, and families.
The projected operational expenses, based on fee structures and predicted costs, were about $470 thousand dollars per year for option one, and $539 thousand dollars for options two.
The report determined that revenues generated would not be able to cover operational costs of either option.
“You can see that both options would be operating at a deficit. But the cost recovery is 78%, which was 58% in 2017.” NAME said.
Presenter also mentioned that it is unusual for community pools to break even or make any profit.
This true of the county and the city’s facilities.
Mayor Chris Grover thanked the Park Board and NAC for collaborating over the past several months to put the presentation together.
“It will take us a while to digest this information, for sure.” Grover said.
Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.
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