Geneva indoor pool idea resurfaces
The idea of a public indoor swimming pool in Geneva is bobbing to the surface again.
On March 19, the school board is convening a public forum to talk about building one, at the request of some residents.
It could be included in a spring 2009 referendum planned to ask voters for permission to expand Geneva High School.
But there isn't room at GHS for a pool, said Superintendent Kent Mutchler, so one of the things to be discussed at the forum is if a pool could be built at another site, such as the middle school campus.
No designs have been made, and district officials are still collecting information on construction and maintenance costs to present at the forum, Mutchler said.
One avenue being explored is joining with another entity, such as the Geneva Park District, to share construction or maintenance costs. The park district, unlike the school district, has the ability to charge user fees for its programs, Mutchler said.
"They are a big financial commitment, not just to build but to run," Mutchler said.
Some parents of swimmers on the Geneva River Rats outdoor swim team have asked for an indoor pool in years past, including in 2003 when the district had a referendum on building a second middle school. The team swims at the park district's Sunset Pool.
Lucy Cave of Geneva, whose fourth-grade daughter swims with the Rats, would like to have an indoor pool.
During the winter, her daughter and children from other Geneva families swim with the West Chicago Sharks team at West Chicago High School's pool. Other Rats join the St. Charles Swimming Club, which swims at the St. Charles high schools.
"I'm just trying to get as many people as possible to come to the forum," she said, noting this is the furthest discussions have ever gotten.
The district last talked about a pool in 2003, when planning to build Geneva Middle School North. Some residents suggested including it at that building, but board members feared it would sink the building's chances in a referendum. Instead, they suggested considering it as part of high school expansion.
The March 19 forum is at 7 p.m. at Geneva Middle School North, 1415 Viking Drive.
The only public school pools in the Tri-Cities area are at St. Charles East and North high schools. Marmion Academy built a $1.3 million swimming pool in 2003.