Grosse Pointe Farms council approves contracts, outlines summer plan while new pool is built

The Grosse Pointe Farms City Council on Feb. 23 approved two major contracts and a summer operations plan tied to construction of a new aquatic facility, and voted to enter a brief closed session on a separate real‑estate matter.

City Manager Shane Reeside and project partners presented revised plans and a construction schedule for the new pool complex. Reeside said the design removes an entrance splash deck and widens the top pool to expand a zero‑depth entry area for small children. He told the council demolition is scheduled to begin March 15 and showed staging plans that will use the south parking lot as the primary contractor laydown area while keeping a public path to the beach open.

"This has truly been a collaborative effort," Mayor Mary Looie said, thanking staff, the pool committee and contractors. Reeside described site work, the pools, a bathhouse and a separate mechanical building as the largest budget items and said the city plans to seek voter approval of a bond just under $11 million to help fund the project.

Councilmembers voted unanimously to approve a design‑build contract with the Blake Company for the bathhouse and associated work in the amount read into the record ($3,489,693), subject to final review by the city attorney and city manager. Council also unanimously approved the pool construction contract as stated on the agenda ($5,253,379), likewise subject to final legal and administrative review.

Mr. Blake, the design‑build lead, told council that a design‑build approach reduces disconnects between design and construction and that the most significant risk is unseen underground conditions during demolition. He said the project carries a foundation contingency the team hopes not to exhaust.

Reeside addressed concerns about tree removal, saying the project will remove six trees near the pool but add nine replacement and ornamental trees, including larger specimens along the lakeshore. He also said roughly $250,000 of indirect costs have been set aside for items such as sound‑system upgrades and new pool furniture.

Parks staff described how the city will accommodate residents during construction. The plan splits residents by precincts: Precinct 1 will use Rose Pointe Woods from May 25 through July 15 and then Rose Pointe South from July 16 through Sept. 7 (Precinct 2 will follow an analogous rotation). Staff said swim lessons, early‑morning senior swim and open swim will be accommodated in partner facilities, schedules will be posted on the city website, and a FAQ will be published for residents.

Council members pressed staff on several operational issues: whether showers will be available at the beach (staff said not while water service is turned off), the uncertain future schedule of the privately operated concession stand (its operator is evaluating weekend‑only hours), lifeguard staffing challenges and whether the beach will have open‑water lifeguards (staff said beach lifeguards require different training and the city would evaluate options). Resident Anne Rendon asked the council to address recurring E. coli closures at the beach; staff said testing frequency has increased but causes are not fully resolved.

The council also approved, on the consent agenda, the appointment of Michael Brown to the Beautification Advisory Commission (term to 09/28/2029), then voted to go into a brief closed session to discuss the acquisition or sale of real estate and return only to adjourn.

Next steps: staff said site‑work bid numbers will be finalized and delivered to the council the following week, final contract documents will be reviewed by the city attorney and city manager as promised in the motions, and the city will publish the partner‑pool schedules and FAQs for residents before the summer season.