A New Aquatic Facility for McCormick Park

1. A New Aquatic Facility for McCormick Park Recreation and wellness for all. An important public investment.

2. Aquatics Feasibility Study • Completed in November 2002 • Need to replace or substantially repair all 8 municipal aquatic facilities • Further GPR studies show McCormick Pool will be 80% delaminated within 5 years • All facilities are aged and do not meet current needs

3. Consultant’s Recommendations Short-Term Plan • Address immediate public safety concerns at the existing facilities. • Address the operational and maintenance concerns at existing facilities to ensure operation until replacement facilities are built. • Add a new outdoor leisure aquatic facility at McCormick Park. • Convert the existing wading pools to spray decks and improve the existing spray decks.

4. Consultant’s Recommendations Long-Term Plan • Cultivate relationships with private and nonprofit groups for the development and operation of future projects. • Add a new indoor aquatic facility at McCormick Park that incorporates leisure aquatic amenities. • Replace Playfair Pool with an outdoor leisure facility. • Develop a strategy to incorporate spray decks into new and future neighborhood parks. • Develop a west end aquatic facility to address the growth of Lolo and the airport areas. • Develop a sports complex at the Missoula County Fairgrounds for competitive swimming, ice sports and gymnasium activities.

5. McCormick Park A brief look at the new master site plan for an important community asset.

6. Site Plan Adopted • Park Board July 15 • City Council July 28 • Plan adoption includes footprint set aside for an Family Aquatic Center attached to a Cultural Community Center AND for a Skate Board Park

7. McCormick Park Info • Gifted to the City by the McCormick family, Missoula Hide and Fur (Silver Family), MT. DOT, and others in 1937 and 1938 • Largest park in Downtown and on Riverfront Trail • One of Missoula’s most used parks • Hub of the trail systems • Home of many of Missoula’s unique recreation opportunities (pool, ropes course, fishing, softball, many others)

9. McCormick Park Site Plan Drawing with 40,000 square foot Community Center

10. The quality of our public places is a reflection of our quality of life and satisfaction with our community. McCormick Park Preserving a place for solitude, wellness, play, memories, community and celebration.

11. Aquatics Task Force and McCormick Park Pool • Appointed by Mayor in June 2003 • Assigned to make recommendation on future of aquatic facilities in Missoula • Reviewed Consultant’s Feasibility study • Conducted 166 in-person informal surveys • Researched a variety of options • Concluded the following…

12. City Council, ALT, Park Board, ATF and competitive teams endorsed • Indoor family aquatic center at McCormick • Outdoor family aquatic center, with integrated 50 meter pool, at Playfair • New splash decks at Bonner, Franklin, Marilyn and Westside Parks • Item to appear on November ballot per Council action August 11, 2003

13. By the numbers • Construction and A&E costs: $11 million • Indoor facility = $4.5 million • Outdoor + 50m = $5.5 million • Splash decks = $1.0 million • Operational Shortfall: $100k (less than current shortfall by approximately $25k) • Operational Shortfall for Indoor Family Aquatic Facility at McCormick $40k (current shortfall at McCormick pool is approx. $75k)

14. More numbers… • Funding proposal: • 20 year bond = $8.1 million • Competitive & private = $1.4 million • TIF = $1.5 million • Cost to homeowners for bond: • $25.50 per year on a $150,000 home, or a 1.1% tax increase. • Additional City and Department commitment to project: • Feasibility study = $15,000 • GPR and other tests = $25,000 • Public Process and meetings, project oversight, operations and maintenance, programming and management, land,

15. MRA Assistance… • Economic stimulus – tourism, improved revenue vs operations costs, downtown businesses • Tax generation – access to quality parks and public facilities increases value of nearby land • Employment generation – new facility equals construction jobs plus full time facilities manager and seasonal staff • Elimination of Blight – McCormick Park is aged and in need of renewal

16. MRA assistance continued • Unique Opportunity – only indoor aquatic facility equals 12 months of recreation, tourism, wellness, serving more diversity • Impacts – serves larger community, provides additional opportunity for business and tourism, environmental impacts remain neutral • Other financing – fundraising, bond issue, past commitment • Project Feasibility – completed as part of Aquatics Feasibility study

17. MRA assistance continued • Developer Ability to perform – Parks Dept staff working with MRA staff, Public Works, design consultants, architects and contractors • Timely completion – • November: bond passes • Dec. to August: design, program • Sept. to Nov: bidding and selection • Spring ’05 construction

18. Citizens served • Projected increased annual pool visits: 15k to 75k • A 12-week swimming season will extend to a 12-month season • Very young children to seniors, therapeutic recreation

19. Examples of Indoor Aquatics Facilities

20. Examples of Indoor Aquatics Facilities

21. The Benefits • Serves ALL ages and abilities • Allows year round use, “free” activities, competition, economic development • Reduces drowning incidents • Enhance personal wellness and fitness • Civic pride • Swimming is second, only to walking, as the most popular activities in Montana • Quality of Life in Missoula • Revitalization of a significant community asset

22. Aquatics for Everyone