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Pool staff warn aging roof, heaters driving unplanned costs; council to weigh repairs versus long-term replacement
Summary
Pool staff reported repeated failures across heating systems and other aging components; immediate fixes are affordable but full replacement of rooftop units or a seasonal bubble enclosure would be substantially more costly.
City pool staff told the council the facility is facing multiple simultaneous maintenance failures and recommended setting aside funds to avoid repeated emergency repairs.
At a workshop update, staff said a run of component failures followed work on the pool interior: boilers and rooftop heating elements have failed in sequence, and insulation and fiberglass roofing over the pool show signs of wear. Staff recommended setting aside money for near-term repairs and pursuing bids to evaluate longer-term options.
Why it matters: Pool maintenance drives operating costs and capital decisions that affect annual budgets. Staff flagged a potential $45,000 per rooftop heating unit replacement cost, and said a full building roof and fiberglass replacement are distinct needs. Staff also discussed the seasonal —bubble— option (a removable dome that covers pools in winter) as a possible long-term solution but said initial estimates previously found that option could cost in the low hundreds of thousands.
Details presented: - Staff said two rooftop HVAC/heating elements are roughly the same age; temporary fixes to get systems running cost about $9,000, while full replacement of an individual heating unit was estimated at about $45,000 each. - The city had budgeted $200,000 for a roof reserve; staff proposed reallocating some of that to address current urgent maintenance items rather than holding the entire amount in reserve for roof replacement. - Other components, including a membrane roof over office/locker areas and a fiberglass surface over the pool itself, were described as having different replacement timelines and costs. - Staff recommended patching work this season while soliciting bids for longer-term options; they also said lead times for custom rooftop units could be several weeks.
Staff emphasized phased decision-making: perform temporary repairs to maintain operations, then obtain formal bids and technical recommendations to determine whether to invest in long-life replacements or pursue alternatives such as a seasonal bubble enclosure. Council members asked staff to gather bids and revisit the issue with cost estimates and options.
Ending: Staff said they will solicit bids and follow up with more detailed cost estimates; any large capital decision would be brought back to the council for appropriation.
