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Snoqualmie reviews community center expansion: full facility costs $31.4M; competition-only option presented
Summary
City staff and YMCA representatives presented a preferred community center design including a 6-lane competition pool plus a leisure pool, with an escalated all-in construction cost of about $31.4 million; alternatives (competition-only, adding lanes) and operating implications were discussed.
Councilors reviewed a year-end update on the proposed Snoqualmie Community Center and aquatics facility. City Administrator Mike Chambliss summarized public outreach results (66% support for a community center in 2023; mixed support for a pool tied to property tax in 2025), and economic analysis by Community Attributes estimating local impacts.
Chambliss presented the council-approved design: a standard 6-lane competition pool (3,351 square feet), a leisure pool (2,276 square feet) and approximately 5,600 square feet of pool deck. He said the original all-in project estimate in 2024 was about $29.5 million; updated pricing shows an escalated all-in cost of about $31.4 million. The city has approximately $21.6 million available in its REET account and earlier used a $1,000,000 King County grant for design; the YMCA has agreed to contribute about $2.5 million (including a state award component). That leaves a funding gap to be addressed if the full build proceeds.
Staff presented alternatives: building the competition pool only (estimated $26.3 million) and options to add two lanes (an additional $1.4 million), add fitness rooms ($1.5 million), perform dry-side improvements and office build-outs, and defer the leisure pool. Josh Sutton, GM property and facilities for the YMCA of Greater Seattle, said a single-tank competition pool can serve roughly 60% of the swim-lesson demand and may lower some operating costs (fewer lifeguards), but larger pools provide economies of scale and broader programming.
Councilors asked about deck space for meets, spectator capacity, how lane count affects meet format and swim-lesson capacity, and whether the school district might partner. Staff and the YMCA said code minimums constrain deck width and any change to lane configuration or deck layout would require additional design work.
No vote was taken on design changes; council discussion focused on tradeoffs between capital costs, operating implications and community service levels. Councilors asked staff to return with additional design and operational information if they want to pursue a competition-only path or other configuration.
