Pool Site Selection Decision

News Release: Mayors Office: Pool Site Selection Decision (EVANSVILLE, IN) – The Mayor’s Aquatics Task Force had recommended six possible sites for pools on the south and west sides of Evansville. Today an architectural consulting firm has narrowed those recommendations. SOUTH SECTOR Bellemeade WEST SECTOR Howell After conducting a site analysis, Evansville’s Hafer Associates has recommended that the City build the south pool at Bellemeade and the west pool at Howell. The reasoning behind those decisions is laid out in the attached letter. Hafer has overall design responsibility and will coordinate construction for the two pools. Letter from Hafer Associates: We have investigated the feasibility of all six sites recommended by the Mayors Aquatics Task Force as possible locations for a new pool. As previously communicated to you verbally, this letter serves as a summary of our conclusions about each site in the south and west sectors. SOUTH SECTOR: The top three sites in the south sector, in no particular order, were: Bellemeade, Tepe, and Stanley Hall. The Stanley Hall site was thought to be unavailable. In addition, comments were made at Aquatics Task Force meetings that residents in the historic neighborhood wouldnt want a pool and parking lot there because it would change the character of the area, so Stanley Hall was eliminated from consideration. Tepe Pool is extremely lacking in sufficient space for the new pool and associated parking. To put a new community pool at Tepe would require the relocation of existing utilities and purchasing residential properties. We estimate that cost would be about $383,000 over and above the price of the pool itself. To purchase and demolish the properties would also require extra time. Bellemeade Park was thought to be the best site by the Aquatics Task Force due to its size, proximity to the inner City neighborhoods, location on a bus line, and other amenities such as parking and baseball fields. The location of the pool itself, on top of the hill, was a negative. However, to improve visibility, security, and image, the hill could be cut down and a shared parking lot developed between the pool and other facilities. We therefore concluded that there isnt sufficient time and funding to acquire additional properties at Tepe Park to put a new pool at that location. The Bellemeade Park site appears to be the most economical and functional. It also fits within the construction time constraints. The budget is adequate to excavate the hill and improve pool visibility. WEST SECTOR: The top three sites in the west sector were: Helfrich, Howell, and Golfmoor. At meetings of the Aquatics Task Force, Golfmoor was cited as being too remote, inaccessible, and lacking the necessary infrastructure, so it was eliminated. There is not enough space at Helfrich Pool for a new community pool. The pool would fit if the. western most ball field, and possibly another ball field, were eliminated. However, the ball fields would most likely have to be replaced at a cost of over $1 million per field. The pool was given positive points for access and visibility. Howell Park was noted as a favorite by several people who attended meetings of the Aquatics Task Force. Howell Park is currently shut down because of structural failure. The existing site does not have enough space for a new community pool. However, it was noted that the tennis courts or the parking lots could be displaced to provide additional space. The current budget is adequate to remove the tennis courts or a portion of the parking lot at Howell in order to construct a new pool. Therefore, we concluded that Howell would be the preferred site in the west sector over Helfrich based on the potential issue with space and cost of replacing the ball fields. In summary, based on the significant additional cost associated with the Tepe and Helfrich locations, the design team of Hafer Associates, Kimley-Horn and Associates, and Counsilman Hunsaker, recommends moving forward with the design of the two community pools at Bellemeade and Howell Parks.