The recent revelation that Astoria may close the Aquatic Center at the recommendation of City manager Paul Benoit has created hardly a ripple.
Benoit points to the escalating cost of operating the center at a time when all cities are facing huge budget deficits. Reportedly, Astoria is running one million in the red for the upcoming budget cycle. The Aquatic Center has never come close to making enough from users to off-set the cost of the operation. When it was built the city knew it would require a supplement. That
supplement has increased 10 times over since it's first year of operation. Originally the city expected to kick in 50-grand a year and that has ballooned to $450-grand annually.
This is without paying to keep the pools heated or keep the pumps working and the lights on. The pool has seen more than it's share of tragedy as well.
I suppose we could keep it open by telling DEQ to take a hike and ignore the million dollar a year sewer project we are forced to pay for. The fine has to be less.
And yet.....
No one seems to mind closing the doors at the Astoria Aquatic Center. What do you think?
I mind, the "maybe" closing of the pool.
ReplyDeleteThe pool hosts swim meets, which brings vistors from other cities in Oregon, they spend money in our town.
They could try open swim-all day, everyday.
The pool, I believe is used by the coast guard, the high school, are there more?
I wish I had the answers, if it were to close, I think it would be a sign of a dying town.
Question? Why is your open forum board not used?
I think the city manager is fishing for money outside the city budget. Lets face it, the pool is a nice-to-have asset. If it closes no one can say vital city serices have been decreased. But those who use it and need it will truly be outraged. It's this outrage that the city officials are banking on to substantiate asking for federal or state funding or grants. Unfortunatly, the cacophony has fallen short of expectations. Maybe it's because folks realize the tough times we're in. Maybe they just don't care. Whatever, it's a shame such a beautiful facility, that was very hard to make happen, may go by the wayside and become another derelict building on Marine Drive. I'm sure the Coast Guard will hate to see it close because it's a vital asset to the rescue swimmer and survival training programs. I personally will hate to see it go because I use it for fitness and entertainment for my grandchildren. I hope more folks will support the aquatic center and speak out to their elected officials to find ways to fund this wonderful facility. To lose it will truly be a shame.
ReplyDeleteIt's my opinion it would be a tragedy to close the Aquatics center. I believe that if Astorians all pulled together we can keep it open and reap the rewards it offers that cannot always be measured by looking the proverbial bottom line. We need to get past our petty peeves and concentrate on getting more people to use and support the center. We all know swimming uses every muscle in the body, is easy on the joints, improves cardiovascular health and lowers blood pressure, and relives stress. It is also fun, kids love going to the pool. Especially during the long rainy season. I'm afraid if the pool closes down, it may not reopen. C'mon people don't lose the pool. Everybody needs to jump in to create an aquatics awareness. The Mayor the City Council, the Police and fire Cheif, Steve Forrester the Kiwanis, the Rotory club, the lions, the school pricipals the District Attorney and yes even you Tom Freel need to get on your swim suits and dive in. Heck get Don Webb down there too. It doesn't matter who the General contractor was on the job(BTW it was Chuck not Glen Taggart) or whether covering Tapiola was a good idea. Tapiola was a wonderful place to swim because it was uncovered. Everybody who looked closely at covering it found it would cost nearly as much while providing a fraction of the benefits of a new facility. Sure times are tough, but closing the poole will just make them tougher. We need to find more ways to make it accessible to low income youths. Better to have a nice aquatics center to point to than have to listen to an endless parade of disenfranchised teens complain that there is nothing to do in Astoria. I challenge Astorians who can afford it to buy more passes and punch cards and use them as gifts.
ReplyDeleteAstorians were sold a bill of goods with the swimming pool. The fact that the city manager, who helped design the pool project, can, after the expenditure of millions of dollars, close it without a whimper from Astorians proves that the pool was and is unnecessary to the community. What many Astorians still don't know, is the cost of the pool in sacrifices to basic city services that were needed to fund this monster. Primarily through the efforts of two important people, (one of whom has left the area), Astorians were convinced to move from a nice summer pool that simply needed some new concrete to a giant "acquatics center" with promises that that it would pay for itself. Astorians could have listened to people in adjacent communities who were asked, but refused, to help finance this folly. It must also be realized that closing the pool does not eliminate its costs: there are still millions of dollars in bonds that must be repaid whether the pool is open or closed. This situation is a good example of errors in the philosphy of "build it and they will come" and will hopefully serve as a much needed example to the current administration in its rage to build new things without attention to the impacts on necessary city services.
ReplyDeleteTo the contrary, there is a huge uproar in the community about this. If the recommendation makes it to the budget committee, the hearings are likely to be boisterous and unruly. People are making all kinds of suggestions of how to plug the budget gap, keep the pool open, and send the city a message. Many still think it's a trial balloon or a really bad April Fool's joke.
ReplyDeleteAs to the combined sewer overflow project, the fines are way higher ($10,000 a day) than the capital cost, but the city may be able to ask the federal government for stimulus funds for this project. Unfortunately, this is a capital project that is not, I believe, included in the general city budget, and couldn't be used to close the budget deficit.
Go back and read the newspaper articles written while the pool(before construction) was debated. Sane minds said it was too much pool.....romantic minds imagined so much use (hospital, etc.) that it would be able to pay for itself.
ReplyDeleteSkip to the present....sane minds said to Clatsop College, stick to a budget, education is changing to a less "campus focused" setting, fix up and use what is there. Now we are getting what may be the aquatic center of the future. Will we be able to keep the pumps working and the buildings heated?
It is sad when people try to own a Mercedes on a used Ford budget.
I think this pool is vital to our community - especially for our children! Kids have so little to do in this area. We didn't live here when the Tapiola pool was open, but I can't imagine an outdoor pool in this cold environment. We use the pool a lot, so we're doing our part in trying to support it. But I've noticed through the years that it just isn't promoted or available as much as it should be. Their website is a confusing mess - never updated. Their hours, at least in the past, are often inconvenient. We've had out of town visitors who've been interested in going there in the mornings, only to find out that that time was not open to the public. When my kids were toddlers, I was interested in going during morning "mom-tot" time - which was scheduled way too early at 8-9 am...by the time we were up and dressed it was too late to bother. At least now they are making use of the wonderful swim classes - which we will be VERY sad to lose. But the thing is, I think, is just to keep the hours more accomodating.
ReplyDeleteMy family visited the Aquatic Center regularly since it opened. However a few years ago, the whole place seemed to change. The staff were very rude, they did not care to do their job of being lifeguards, they congregated in the office, and if you needed help you received a typical teenage attitude. After an incident where my child was in pretty severe danger, I made the decision to start using Sunset Pool. It is a much different place, the staff appreciates the swimmers, and we feel safe there. I think the Aquatic Center needs to rehab it's management, and teach some customer service. They need to stop treating patrons like we are just lucky to a have a pool. They should be lucky they have a job.
ReplyDeletePublic infrastructure is that, public infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteThe pool is there, get a better business plan and use it.
If the city can't do it, find some one who will.
In the meantime, I think its time to review who is city manager.
The Aquatics Center, a 25 year old effort by a group of "Astoria Entitleds" to get that facility at whatever cost and it sure as hell happened even to the point of raiding Astoria's General Fund to top off the actual construction cost of the facility over and above the Bond Referendum approved by the citizens of Astoria.
ReplyDeleteI still remember going to an Open House at the Maritime Museum conducted by The Astoria City Council to show off the proposed Aquatic Center to get "The Citizens", "The Public's, input and approval of what was proposed to be built while at the same time, right across the street in front of our very own eyes the project was already underway.
These ideas from people who want the pool are terrific. The people who use the pool can now all get together and figure out how to pay for it. Perhaps they can get grants, loans and "friends" to contribute. But no tax money. That was the original proposal and certainly is still the best idea.
ReplyDeleteA swimming pool is not a basic service, so the user/owner idea works for those who dislike growing government. Bottom line is that there is no good reason why people who do not use a swimming pool should pay for it: it's just a swimming pool for heaven's sake.
Potentially closing the pool is a symptom to a larger illness. That illness is no "economy of scale." If we as residents want the nice to have ammenities, we require the "Need to have" basics such as jobs and a vibrant economy. Lets face it folks, a tourist based economy brings part time, minimum wage seasonal employment.
ReplyDeleteAre there any proposed industries out there that could provide jobs and an economic multiplier to the community?
Bring in an outside person to manage the pool who does not answer to the city council....What I see is that 15 years of Van Dusen,BENOIT, and gang is ENOUGH.....I didn't see in the article where MR, BENIOT is taking a pay cut.....Maybe even work for a DOLLAR a year.......All in the name of getting us thru this trying time.....
ReplyDeleteThe pool should be kept open, but managed properly. It's not open accessible hours for many. In addition, why are there more paying customers wanting to take swimming lessons than there are lessons? Why isn't more being made of the fitness center? Just because it's a publicly-subsidized entity doesn't mean it can't be effectively marketed. I was told the Coast Guard pays nothing to train there, is that true?
ReplyDeleteIt's a great center, and if it's not in operation it's just one less thing for the kids to do around here, not a good thing. However, I feel that a new marketing strategy should be drawn up, perhaps by local business leaders or people with expertise in that area. It could be making far more than it is, based upon the number of people who regularly use it.
Let's get some better numbers! How much is owed on the bonds for the pool? What do they cost per year?
ReplyDeleteHow much would we really save by closing it? Life guards don't make more than minmum wage do they?
And do people from other towns get to use the pool for the same price as Astorians?
Hey Tom, how about we find out the names of all the "NO BUILD ON THE WATERFRONT", "NO GROWTH", "NO LNG" "SAVE EVERY BIRD, FISH & PLANT (EXCEPT HUMANS) GROUP" AND LET THEM PAY AN EXTRA TAX TO SUPPORT THE POOL. Wadaya think?
ReplyDeletePR, Astoria
Well, the US Gov't made the GM manager step down, thgis problem, according to the Daily Fishwrapper, shows that cost have gone up but attendance decreased... The City Manager should have seen that coming....
ReplyDeleteWhat is next, close the library? What is Nxt, Close the Parks?, What is next, Close city Hall?
Where is the thought process here, who is managing the budget?
Those who use the pool should be the ones paying for it. We don't use it, as is the same for many. Why should we have to pay for the few?
ReplyDeleteIf the pool is closed, what plans exist for the current building?
Overall, another closed facility looks poorly on the community.
Let's see if anyone in the community has enough skill to manage the facility so it at least breaks even.