Council Discusses Aquatic Center Project and Plans for Upcoming Referendum

In a recent work session, the Marion City Council focused on the ongoing aquatic center project, a significant initiative that has been in development for over a decade. The meeting aimed to provide an update on the project and seek direction on several key decisions, including reaffirming value engineering items and determining the maximum principle for the project language. A crucial aspect of the discussion was whether to move forward with a resolution to put the project to a referendum.

The aquatic center project has evolved from the park and recreation master plan established in 2016, incorporating extensive community feedback through open houses and surveys. The council highlighted that recent value engineering efforts have identified approximately $2.64 million in cost savings. A major contributor to these savings was the removal of the wave pool, which also led to adjustments in building materials that did not affect functionality or aesthetics.

Additional modifications included reducing the rockscape around the diving well for safety reasons and making changes to the park maintenance building. While these adjustments were primarily focused on cost efficiency, the council noted that some aesthetic elements, such as the infinity edge for the diamond pool and enhancements around the Lazy River, could still be revisited in future discussions.

The meeting underscored the council's commitment to balancing community desires with fiscal responsibility as they prepare for the potential referendum. The next steps will involve further discussions on the identified value engineering items and any additional adjustments based on final bids, ensuring that the aquatic center project aligns with both community expectations and budgetary constraints.