Design services to outline plan for demolishing Aquatic Park lap pool
By Cameron Montemayor
City leaders took steps to prepare for the future of the Aquatic Park lap pool should they decide to replace it with a new one or move forward with a YMCA partnership for a new facility up north.
On Monday, council members approved a $23,500 work order with Snyder & Associates to allow for plans and documents for demolition of the Aquatic Park lap pool. Councilmembers Andrew Trout and Jeff Schomburg were not present for the meeting.
“The existing lap pool is beyond its useful life and does need to be removed,” St. Joseph City Manager Bryan Carter said. “Whether that pool is replaced with another pool or not replaced with another pool, the existing pool will have to be demolished.”
Monday’s approval allows for preliminary engineering and planning to prepare for demolition. The move does not rule out the possibility of replacing the lap pool with a new pool. That decision is expected to hinge on whether or not city council formally agrees to a partnership with the YMCA for a new indoor aquatic facility by the end of this year.
In late April, city council approved a resolution stating the city’s intent to contribute up to $7 million for the project on the condition the YMCA secures the remaining funds before the end of the year. The project would see construction of a 35,000-square-foot indoor aquatic facility on North Village Drive, a project that was last estimated to be around $16 million.
“If we do not, there’s a possibility that funding would shift back to an outdoor facility at the Aquatic Park. That has not been decided,” Carter said.
Before demolition can begin, a significant amount of underground engineering work will have to take place on the lap pool system according to Assistant Parks Director Jeff Atkins.
In the the mid-1920s, a large municipal swimming pool was constructed at 402 S. Noyes Blvd., before it was replaced by the current, smaller lap pool in 1954, essentially within the old pool.
“That old pool still holds a certain amount of water during local storm events. So a lot of their engineering is going to be how to properly capture that groundwater once the pool is removed and get it directed to the sewer properly so that that groundwater won’t damage the aquatic center that’s going to remain,” he said.
The Aquatic Park currently operates two aquatic components, a shallow activity pool and lazy river. The Aquatic Park will hold its final day of the 2025 season on Sunday, Aug. 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Upgrades approved for local facilities
St. Joseph’s Bartlett Center playground will see close to $35,000 worth of safety upgrades in the form of new safety surfacing after approval of an ordinance Monday. Capital project funds will be used to purchase and install the equipment from company Forever Lawn.
Council members also approved an ordinance Monday authorizing the purchase and installation of new signage at the Civic Arena from Yellow Frog Graphics using $49,195 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Council approves landfill fee change
Residents who do not properly secure loads when disposing of waste at the St. Joseph landfill will see higher fees going forward, a result of increased litter and trash falling on the side of the road from unsecured vehicle loads.
City council members approved an ordinance to amend the landfill code of ordinances to raise the fee for an unsecured load from $10 to $50.
“We looked at the number of unsecured load charges that we issued in the last year and determined that the $10 just really wasn’t effectively causing people to secure the loads of trash and debris,” Carter said.
Phil Welch evaluation on deck
Council members authorized a $25,000 work order using parks sales tax funds on Monday for a structural evaluation of Phil Welch Stadium.
As reported Aug. 2, the 85-year-old stadium will undergo the evaluation to pave way for complete replacement of the stadium’s grandstand concrete and seating. Renovations are expected to take place in either spring or late summer of 2025.
