City mulls sprinkler park options for municipal pool location
From our weekly issue dated November 04, 2009
Cave Junction’s municipal pool was once an enjoyable place for the community, with families and others using it to cool down on sizzling summer days.
Structural deficiencies have since forced the facility to be closed permanently, creating an eyesore at its location on River Street.
One of Mayor Don Moore’s top priorities since taking office in January has been to find a solution to the problem, and those efforts may already be paying off.
On Wednesday, Oct. 21, Moore met at city hall with Marilyn Lippencott, senior grants coordinator for the Oregon State Parks & Recreation Dept. (OPRD). The meeting was facilitated by Jeff Griffin from Gov. Kulongoski’s office. Griffin is the regional coordinator for S.W. Oregon.
“I wanted their input on what our available options are,” Moore said.
Although municipal pools have proven popular in the past, escalating costs for liability insurance, chemicals and lifeguard personnel have caused cities to examine alternative forms of aquatic recreation.
In S.W. Oregon, the cities of Jacksonville and Central Point have established water parks, which utilize a series of sprinklers and are far easier to maintain than pools. Similarly, the city of Medford is considering construction of such a facility.
The pool in Cave Junction was funded through a grant, Moore said. A condition of that grant is that the facility must only be used for outdoor recreation, he said, which limits what city officials can do with the property.
However, the mayor has gravitated toward the idea of converting the pool into a sprinkler-based water park, complete with picnic benches and barbecue facilities.
Most of the pool’s equipment was installed in 1978, Moore said, and has rusted and deteriorated due to the use of chlorine to treat the water. Even worse, ground water flows beneath the pool, causing structural issues that cause the pool to leak when it’s filled.
“The whole bottom is falling out of the pool,” said the mayor.
Replacing the outdated equipment and fixing the pool’s structure would cost more than $550,000, Moore said. Approximately $30,000 is available in the city’s pool fund, well short of what would be needed.
Advertisement:
Fortunately, Moore learned during his meeting with Griffin and Lippencott that the city can pursue a grant through OPRD that would provide 80 percent of the project funding. That money can go toward stabilizing the old pool structure, filling it in and installing the sprinkler park.
Moore said that he anticipates hearing back from the department. “within the next two months,” adding that, “The state promised to get it through as soon as possible.”
A hearing would have to be conducted at the state level before the federal parks system can deliberate on the matter at its office in Seattle, Moore said.
“Once it hits the federal level, it’s out of any of our control. They’ll do it on their time frame,” he said. “But if I have to fly to Seattle to see them, I’d be more than happy to do that.”
During the interim, the mayor is working on possible designs for the water park, and is seeking input from the public. He said that he also is looking for a design architect to aid the process.
Anyone interested in helping can phone Moore at city hall at 592-2156.
Advertisement:
