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Parks advisory board votes to forward aquatic feasibility study to city commission
Summary
The Amarillo Parks & Recreation Advisory Board voted to forward an updated aquatic feasibility study to the city commission for approval, adding $50,000 to an earlier $100,000 allocation so an engineering team can begin a 60–90 day assessment of two closed pools and related equipment. The motion passed with one member opposing and one abstention; exact tallies were not recorded in the transcript.
The Amarillo Parks & Recreation Advisory Board voted to forward an updated aquatic feasibility study to the city commission, asking council to authorize engineers to begin an estimated 60–90 day inspection of two pools and associated equipment.
James Stowe, parks staff, told the board the revised scope — circulated by email the day before — adds items that address questions raised in prior meetings and that the consultant cannot begin work until council approves the contract. "We need to get it to council, and we need to get started because time is of the essence," Stowe said.
Board members debated the value and cost of the additional work. One member noted that the city council had already approved $100,000 for an expert study and questioned whether adding another $50,000 would duplicate work. "This $50,000 we added on to the 100,000 going to an engineering company to tell us what we may already know from the first 100,000," a committee member said.
Other members emphasized the need for a clear plan if the study finds pools should remain closed. Committee members pressed for the study to assess not only structural issues but also equipment operation (filters, pumps, sand filters), leak detection procedures, and whether replastering would be required before reopening. Stowe confirmed those operational checks are included in the scope and explained how pressure testing and leak detection would be performed.
A motion to adopt the engineering study and forward it to the city commission was made by a committee member and seconded by another. The board approved the motion; the transcript records one abstention and one opposing vote but does not provide a complete numerical tally.
Why this matters: The study will determine whether two community pools can safely reopen, what repairs or replastering they need, and what funding or policy decisions council must consider. If the council approves the study contract, consultants’ findings will inform whether to repair, replace, or permanently close the facilities and what the next steps should be.
The board did not take responsibility for the final decision; Stowe reiterated that the city commission must authorize the contract and decide on funding. The study’s results — expected after the engineering firm completes its 60–90 day assessment — will be returned to council for consideration.
