City considers indoor pool again
The dream of an indoor pool located in McMinnville may become a reality. Elected officials are expected to vote on a resolution Tuesday night that could end in the city getting a $500,000 grant for building an indoor pool adjacent to McMinnville Civic Center.
Parks and Recreation director Carlene Brown will be presenting the board with a resolution that will allow her to submit a pre-application for a Local Park and Recreation Fund Grant with the Department of Environment and Conservation Recreation Educational Services.
Plans for the building would house two pools. There would be a competition pool, as well as a therapy pool. The reason for two separate pools will be the difference in temperature. The therapy pool will have warmer water to use for physical therapy.
The addition of the indoor pools will allow added benefit to those who use the Civic Center, according to Brown.
‘One daily fee into the Civic Center will allow visitors to go to the gymnasium, wellness center, indoor pool and if it is summer, the outdoor pool as well,’ said Brown. ‘This will allow us to have family and individual passes that will give you more opportunities to enjoy all the Civic Center has to offer. Of course, none of those fees have been set.’
The chances of the city receiving the grant are high. There will be $55 million available for Community Enhancement Grants such as this in Tennessee. The large amount of available funding makes the time right for the pool, Brown said.
‘A lot of times it is all about timing,’ said Brown. ‘When the state announces that they have this type of money available for a project such as this, the timing is right.’
The benefits to the community include recreational year-around swimming, benefits of swimming on overall health, fighting the increasing obesity rate in Tennessee, warmer water for seniors, and warmer water for physical therapy.
According to Brown, the grant requires a match of $500,000 by the city. The match can be made through in-kind services. The estimated cost of the indoor pool is $1.5 million. The remaining $500,000 will have to come from community fundraising.
If allowed to submit the application, the pre-application deadline is Aug. 17, and March 2008 is the deadline for the final application. June 2008 is the date for grant notification which would allow the funding to come out of the 2008-09 fiscal budget.
The resolution will be presented to officials during their regular session at 7 p.m. Tuesday at McMinnville City Hall.