Platteville committee backs rebuilding pool at current site and seeks April advisory referendum

A volunteer subcommittee convened by the Platteville Parks and Recreation Department recommended on Jan. 14 that the city pursue repair and limited rebuilding of the existing outdoor pool at Legion Park and present an advisory referendum to voters in April.

"We had over 1,400 respondents," said Bob Gates, chair of the Platteville Aquatic Recreation subcommittee, describing the committee's community survey and outreach. The survey found 92% of respondents said outdoor aquatic recreation is important to the city and about 72% said they would use a facility at least once a week.

The committee presented engineering findings showing the 1996-built pool suffered significant structural problems after filling in 2023, including a gap beneath the vessel and wall cracking that rendered the pool inoperable. Testing by Chosin Valley Testing and a peer review by Braun Intertek showed subsurface issues and improper fill used during the original construction; the deeper borings indicated the current site can support a new or repaired facility if the right remediation and fill are used.

Committee members outlined three options: (1) a repair-and-reuse approach that would reuse existing structures where feasible and add selected new features, (2) a midrange plan with a new slide and additional features, and (3) a full replacement with new mechanical and bathhouse buildings. The committee recommended Option A — a modest rebuild that retains usable features — citing lower cost and quicker timing.

To inform voters about cost, the city engaged financial advisers Ehlers to model a 20-year general obligation note. According to the materials presented, an example tax impact for a home valued at $300,000 would be roughly $175 in the first year declining over the bond term; other example schedules showed lower per-household impacts for lower-valued homes. The committee emphasized final numbers will depend on design scope, bid prices and timing, and that delaying a project could raise costs because of inflation.

Because the city has completed a community survey and technical borings, the committee recommended an advisory referendum in April so voters can indicate a preference before the city proceeds to detailed design and any bond authorization. The committee also noted limited grant options for pool projects and said typical financing combines borrowing with targeted fundraising for specific amenities such as a slide or upgraded bathhouse.

The council did not act on the recommendation at the Jan. 14 meeting; staff noted schematic-design RFPs are under review and that final engineering would only proceed if the council directs it after the referendum.