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ASHLAND PARKS & RECREATION Parks Commission recommends off-season pool rental Some upgrades would be made at Daniel Meyer Pool so school and masters swimmers could use it during the winter Comment By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 6:46 PM Updated Sep 10, 2015 at 3:36 PM By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 6:46 PM Updated Sep 10, 2015 at 3:36 PM » Social News Rogue Valley swim groups grappling with the closure of Southern Oregon University’s McNeal Pavilion pool will have a temporary solution as soon as a Parks & Recreation Commission decision is implemented. At a special meeting Tuesday, Ashland Parks & Recreation Director Michael Black recommended to the Parks Commission that upgrades be made to the Daniel Meyer Pool to allow for winter use of the facility. (This paragraph has been changed to correct an error: The Parks & Recreation decision does not have to be approved by the City Council.) The commission unanimously approved three ordinances which would allow the Ashland School District, the Phoenix-Talent School District, and Master Swimmers access to the facility from November to February for the next five years. While the Parks Commission recognized the solution would not be a long-term fix for the lack of a community aquatic center, they said it would provide a competition-style facility for competitive water sports. Parks Director Black says he was approached by the school districts as well as local swimmers to examine the possibility of using an outdoor facility. “It was mainly the school districts who came to me and said," Black said, "'you know, there are other communities in Oregon that have outdoor pools year round. And they are in climates with a lot more rain than here and they aren’t covered, so could you explore that option?' And our initial thought was, ‘oh my gosh, that sounds horrible to send those poor little children out in the cold.’ But this was coming from those groups who were willing to be out there in the cold and do that.” Parks and Recreation staff estimates the cost of fitting the bath house with heating and insulation at $20,000. Under the proposed ordinances, funding for the upgrades would initially come from money earmarked for an aquatic center feasibility study; however, those funds would be recouped over the five-year period of the rental contract from rental fees charged to the user groups. Those fees would also cover additional costs for heating the pool to the prescribed 80 degrees through the winter, as well as wear and tear on the boiler at the facility. The aquatic feasibility study, recommended as a capital improvement project for the current biennium and funded by food and beverage tax monies, could not be completed with the city’s proposed contribution, but is intended as money to contribute to a collaborative effort in the larger community. As there is no such project currently in the works, the Parks & Recreation Commission said it felt comfortable utilizing the funding to create a short-term solution to the problem and allow a local practice venue for middle and high school sports teams in the Southern Rogue Valley. Those groups currently rent facilities elsewhere in the Valley to accommodate swim and water polo teams at rates comparable to those the city is offering. The Parks Commission is proposing a monthly rental fee of $8,000, which covers all expenses, including repayment of construction expenses, as well as a small profit for the city. Black says Parks & Recreation would track costs and adjust rental amounts to ensure the city is covering expenses. Black also emphasized that all operational costs, including lifeguards, sanitation, and grounds keeping would be the responsibility of the parties renting Daniel Meyer. Additionally, all three groups would have to provide a $2 million-dollar insurance policy, something each of the groups has provided the city in past endeavors. The city would maintain control of the facility during the rental period and determine what acceptable use of the facility would include. Director Black says for-profit events and off-hours use would be prohibited. While the pool would not be available to the general public during the winter, Black says anyone interested in joining Master Swimmers would have the opportunity to use it. Budgetary restrictions currently keep Parks & Recreation from operating the pool year round. Master Swimmer Craig Mather said that while he was excited a venue had emerged, he was concerned with the long-term plan for an aquatic center. “I think it’s fantastic you want to do this," Mather said. "But I see this as short term. And my concern is definitely with the long term.” Director Black said that while he agreed with Mather that the community aquatic center was critical — it is the number-one priority for Parks & Recreation this biennium — he thought this was a good temporary fix. “In order for this to happen, something’s got to give," Black said. "This isn’t the end-all solution. We know that. It’s a Band-Aid solution for something that needs to happen out in the future. And in order to make it happen, this has to give. We can’t have both. Not right now.” The Parks & Recreation Commission did say that if an opportunity to conduct a feasibility study did come up in the next two years, a request for funding could be put into the budget for the next biennium. Additionally, Parks & Recreation would have recouped 40 percent of its investment by that time. Ultimately the commission voted unanimously to lease the facility for three months per year to the three groups for the next five years, set the rental rate at $8,000 per month, and to appropriate $20,000 from the pool feasibility study fund to cover improvements to the facility.  (This paragraph has been changed to correct an error: The Parks & Recreation decision does not have to be approved by the City Council.) Director Black estimates it will take six weeks to bid and award a contract for the project and take less than a month of construction. Black says he hopes to have the facility ready by Nov. 15, in time for the high school competitive swim season. Alec Dickinson is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected] By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Alec Dickinson For the Tidings Posted Sep. 9, 2015 at 6:46 PM Updated Sep 10, 2015 at 3:36 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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