The Frankfort City Council got a glimpse of the new redesigned aquatic center Monday night that also had a somewhat surprising caveat of a lower base price of $8.7 million, which is about $1 million less than the previous estimate.
“I think this lower price that they projected allows us to do the full project,” said Frankfort City Councilman Eric Woods. “We were fearful we wouldn’t be able to get it all in and we would have to postpone certain elements of it until a later time.”
Kyle Lueken of HWC Engineering presented the updated design in his 30 percent completion report.
“We made this for all ages,”said Lueken. “It has all the elements and unique futures that you wanted.”
The features of the updated pool includes multiple slides, a lazy river and a new concession standing. Also included was a diving bay, which was something the public said they didn’t want to lose.
“This design gives us a little bit more expected,” said Woods.
Also, the cheaper price tag gives the council several options.
“We’ve determined that the initial estimate of this project has come in within that realm of affordability for us using a couple of different sources of funding through the General Fund and TIF funding,” said Woods. “I’m thrilled to death to see that. I hope they hold.”
Frankfort Parks Superintendent Travis Sheets was equally as excited.
“I think we have a really good design,” said Sheets. “We started this process several months ago. We had a lot of community input and the design represents all the comments that were made.”
Sheets added there were several little changes in the latest design along with the shifting of the structure itself.
“I think this is something the community wants,” said Frankfort Mayor Chris McBarnes. “Now its time to take the votes. That’s what we’re going to in August with our city council, our redevelopment commission and our city plan commission. Hopefully, we can get started on a new aquatic center.”
Renovations are expected to start next March and be completed in May of 2021.
The pool renovation fundraising efforts received a tremendous boost in June as the Clinton County Community Foundation announced a matching grant of $250,000 going towards the project.
In other action Monday night, the city council failed to pass the first reading of a proposed ordinance regarding alcoholic beverages in city parks. The ordinance actually passed 3-2. However, four votes are needed to pass an ordinance, and since two councilmen were absent, the ordinance died. It is expected to be brought back up in the future.
“I want to look at this from everyone’s viewpoint,” said McBarnes. “The next time we look at that it will definitely be with a full council.”
The council also voted 5-0 to approve a resolution terminating the deductions previously authorized for tax abatement benefiting Wabash National. The corporation recently announced in its CF-1 report it had not met the goals it had set and decided not to challenge the decision.
The council also agreed to hold 2020 budget discussions on Monday, August 12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.