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Tonawanda officials push to pursue $4.5 million pool grant despite a likely 20% city match
Summary
Mayor and council agreed to pursue a New York swimming grant to replace the polar pool, estimated at $4.5 million, but cautioned the city may need a roughly 20% local match and will seek letters of support and sponsorships to close funding gaps.
Tonawanda Mayor reported the city will pursue a competitive grant to replace the polar pool, which he said would cost about $4.5 million and likely require a 20% local match. “We know it's gonna take 4,500,000.0 to get a new pool,” the Mayor said, and urged staff to submit applications and gather letters of support from local clubs and organizations.
The Mayor and councilors described the expected funding landscape as piecemeal: smaller state or federal awards and office-specific allocations could provide partial sums—“We’re gonna get $510,000 here,” the Mayor said—while other needs would rely on municipal contributions or private sponsorships for discrete items such as a slide or an ADA lift. Council members discussed whether the city’s general fund or bond proceeds might cover the 20% match and noted existing commitments such as prior vehicle purchases.
Members identified potential partnerships to reduce operating losses and staffing costs. One councilor suggested collaborating with local nonprofits such as the Boys & Girls Club to share staffing or bus resources for summer programs. The Mayor said staff will pursue support from state offices and representatives (he referenced contacts in Kennedy’s office and state swim program staff) and prepare formal letters of support the council can sign.
No formal vote or commitment of matching funds was made during the meeting. The Mayor characterized the next steps as application submission and community outreach to determine how much grant funding the city can secure and what the local contribution would be.
The council did not set a final funding source or schedule; the Mayor said staff will continue conversations with state contacts and return with updates as grant responses and potential sponsorships become clearer.
