Buffalo Grove studies pool renovations

The Buffalo Grove Park District faces a bit of a quandary over how to handle renovations to the outdoor Willow Stream pool.

The board has set a meeting for Monday, Dec. 8, to hear from residents on what they want at the pool.

While the plan initially was for just some upgrades to the facility, the board thought this was a good chance to look at making more extensive changes to the district's only outdoor pool, at 600 Farrington Road. The ideas included taking away the diving board, making it shallower with a zero-depth or gradually sloping entry, expanding the swimming lanes from six to eight, and putting in a water slide.

"We found most people go to pools for water play instead of actual swimming," board President Martha Weiss said.

However, more than 100 residents signed a petition asking the district to reconsider taking away the diving board.

"They said their kids liked the deep water," Weiss said.

But, when the district looked at putting in a separate deep water well for divers, the soil conditions in the area did not seem favorable.

"We'd have to install steel sheeting deep into the ground," Weiss said.

With all the proposed changes, the district was looking at a $4.5 million cost, according to Executive Director Mike Rylko. He said the board wasn't comfortable putting that kind of financial strain on the park district.

Weiss said the park district's master plan includes building another pool at Busch Grove Community Park, but referendums on that issue have failed.

"I haven't seen the grass-roots effort for a referendum to pass," she said.

So, for now, the district has to make some choices about the current pool.

At the minimum, Willow Stream facilities will have to be upgraded to a certain extent. Rylko said that includes a new water filtration system and making changes to the pool and bathhouse to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

"The pool really needs a renovation, and it's been a long time coming," Weiss said.

She said the final decision will come down to the cost versus the benefits to residents.

The board wants to hear from residents at a public hearing 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, in Room 11 at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive.

"It's very expensive to do what we wanted to do, so we want to highlight everything for residents and explain what we've done so far," Rylko said.

For more information on the meeting, call (847) 850-2100.