HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Permanent closure of Gateway Swimming Pool RESOLUTION NO. 02-057
RESOLUTION APPROVING CLOSURE OF
GATEWAY SWIMMING POOL
FOR THE CITY OF AMES,IOWA
WHEREAS, Gateway Swimming Pool was built in 1940 and served members of the Ames Golf and
Country Club until 1975 when the club moved north of Ames; and,
WHEREAS,the City purchased the building/pool and 42 acres of land in 1979; and,
WHEREAS,in the early 1980's,both Carr and Gateway Pools were in a state of disrepair,and in 1982,
citizens approved a special tax levy generating approximately$380,000 to be used to renovate Carr Pool into
an acceptable swimming facility; and,
WHEREAS,in contrast,Gateway Pool was evaluated and determined by residents,the City Council,
and Parks and Recreation Commission members to be too small of a facility to adequately accommodate Ames
residents long term; and,
WHEREAS,in 1982,in was determined that the pool only had a life expectancy of an additional seven
to 10 years; and,
WHEREAS, realizing that Gateway Pool's life span was nearly complete, in 1991 residents were
presented with a$4.36 million bond issue for the construction of a combined outdoor Family Aquatic Center
and Soccer Complex, and the bond issue failed; and,
WHEREAS, a 1998 consultant's report recommended that significant time, effort, or money in
renovating the pool should not be invested and to plan for the pool's replacement as soon as possible; and,
WHEREAS,this same consultant was retained in September 2001 to complete a structural assessment
of Gateway Pool, and it was determined that major repairs should be made to the basin gutter system; and,
WHEREAS, based upon the age of the pool and its decrepit state, the Parks and Recreation
Commission voted to recommend that Gateway Pool be closed and the site demolished since it could not justify
expending tens ofthousands of dollars to bring the facility up to an acceptable service level given the magnitude
of needed improvements.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ames, Iowa, that the
permanent closure of Gateway Pool and the eventual demolition of the facility as funding allows is hereby
approved.
ADOPTED THIS 22°d day of January,2002.
Diane R.Voss, City Clerk Ted Tedesco,Mayor
Introduced by: Cross
Seconded by: Goodhue
Voting aye: Cross, Goodhue,Hoffman, Quirmbach,Vegge,Wirth
Voting nay: None Absent: None
Resolution declared adopted and signed by the Mayor this 22"d day of January,2002.