The ask from the Parks and Recreation Department at the City Council work session was a big one, but it’s actually much bigger.
At the Tuesday, May 9 work session, Director of the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department Phil Fleischmann presented Plan2Splash, a lengthy and comprehensive report of the current state of the department’s aquatic facilities and future needs.
According to the report, the city needs to spend $48.2 million to renovate and upgrade the city’s swimming pools and another $1.9 million to upgrade the spraygrounds.
The report states that the city also needs four new aquatic facilities at a cost estimated at $32 million. So the total cost to the is over $82 million.
Councilmember Zack Matheny said, “Some of these pictures look really awesome, but can we get some of the funds to invest in properties we currently own? How do we do both?”
Councilmember Tammi Thurm said, “We have so many other parks needs, whether it be pickleball or whatever. We need to see what the whole picture is.”
She added, “I don’t think we can do it all. What are the priorities? I think this is a great start but we need to look at it even more broadly as we plan for the future.”
Fleischmann said that Plan2Splash only covered the aquatic needs, but when deferred maintenance and new facilities projected in the current parks and recreation master plan were considered, the total capital cost was about $280 million.
He said, “We’re talking about 50-some years since there has been significant investment in some of these locations.”
Councilmember Sharon Hightower said that she would like to see the cost of turning some of the outdoor pools into indoor pools, so they could be used year round.
No problem… council will raise your taxes. Bend over…you voted for them.
Can you say, “tax increase”? No matter how much you are forced give them, it is never enough.
$82 million is probably more than enough to rip up and replace every public pool in the city and repave all their parking lots, if it was handled properly by the lowest bidder with experience. Also replace the public pool at Grimsley that got demolished.
Ah yes the city simply must find some public pickleball facilities……look at pickleball players demographics…..the private sector will provide… no need for the city to subsidize a sport that is for a small group of well to do geriatric donor class folks.
If MWBE is involved the cost will be 100 Million so do not believe the numbers being tossed around. This city has never done anything in budget, just look at the new money pit… the Windsor Center.
This may be the closest comment for Hightower that leans towards being reasonable. $82 million for a three month use is insane. A benefit for 12 months use is a bit more logical, but not by much. Nice try, Sharon.