A decade of fun!

Clear Lake Aquatic Center wrapping up 10th season

When the season comes to a close for the Clear Lake Aquatic Center on Labor Day weekend, it will also mark a decade of fun in the pool for local families and guests.

The Clear Lake Aquatic Center celebrated its 10 year anniversary on June 13 this year.  It’s a milestone that many overlooked, either because the swimming pool has become so much a part of the community, or because it seems like only yesterday the pool opened.

As far back as 1973, the idea of building a pool in Clear Lake intrigued many citizens. Although the process had its setbacks and delays, the aquatic center was finally open for business in 2007.

In 1974, the Clear Lake City Council’s Lakeland Area Swimming Pool Committee hosted a survey sponsored by the Clear Lake Jaycees. The Statistical Lab at Iowa State University found that about 61.5 per cent of adult citizens supported building the pool, based on a 276 household sample.  Two years later, in 1975, the Clear Lake Parks and Recreation Department developed a five-year plan (from 1976 to 1980), which including the swimming pool as its second priority.

The Parks department’s proposition included an Olympic side pool, 25 meters by 45-feet wide, with a capacity for 700 persons, complete dressing and shower areas, bleachers, a wading pool, a one-meter diving board, and complete accessibility for the handicapped and the elderly.  The Pool Committee, headed up by Secretary Pat Cooper, and Fund Drive Sub-Chairmen Miller, Molinsky, Casey, Miller, and Ungs, determined that the facility was to be built by Cervetti, Weber, Mikelson, and Pollard of Marshalltown, Iowa.   Contributions from 251 individuals, 45 businesses, and 23 organizations totaled $179,634. In order to get the project in motion, the committee presented this funding, as well as a petition with approximately 725 signatures in support of the municipal pool.

However, after all of the effort and funding put in, the project was shut down in October 1982 due to the decision of the board of trustees to refuse additional funding for the project, which was pivotal to the process, and the lack of an alternate plan.  The proposed construction cost was $286,000, and the committee requested $40,000 in addition to their $179,634 that was already raised.

The project was also proposed under the consideration of a partnership with the City or the Clear Lake High School, which was not as popular, due to the monetary implications on the school.

With the proposal’s downfall, the Lakeland Area Swimming Pool Committee emphasized that

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember][wlm_ismember]

the project should not be abandoned, but left on “hold.”

After 34 years on hold, 2007 brought a turn of luck.

“The pool has proven to be a great asset to the community,” said Gary Peterson, a member of the Splash! Committee which revived the pool issue.  “It meets the needs of kids up to about 14-years-old and offers employment for those in high school or college, as well adults.”

Peterson recalled that two separate bond issues supported by Splash! were turned down before the City stepped in and offered City land for the project.  Failure of the first bond referendum was blamed on its high price tag, while the second received roughly 55 percent approval from voters, but did not garner the necessary “super majority” required. It feel 67 votes short of passage.

It was back to the drawing board to develop a more modest aquatic center which would not require a referendum, instead it was  subject to a vote only if a petition was filed. There were no petitions against the plan.

“Our cash and their land made the whole thing possible,” said Peterson.  “I live nearby the pool and hearing the noise coming from the kids there makes me feel glad we persevered to put it together.”

Tom Stephany is another Splash! Committee member who takes pride in the pool and considers it a valuable city asset in many ways.

“Most importantly, we have had 10 years worth of kids going through swim lessons at the pool and who feel more comfortable in the water,” said Stephany.  “The pool also keeps kids active in the summer and exposes them to lifeguards as role models and mentors.  There’s a lot of good, positive energy at the pool.”

City Administrator Scott Flory said when he came to Clear Lake 16 years ago, with small children, one of the first things he and his wife looked for was the “community” swimming pool.

“There, of course, wasn’t one at the time. Like many Clear Lakers, my kids learned to swim at the Opportunity Village Pool, which sort of served in that capacity,” he said.

Peterson Construction, of Webster City, Iowa built the $1.7 million facility.

“The real success story was that over $1 million of that came from private sources and grants,” said Flory.

On June 13, 2007, the Clear Lake Aquatic Center opened up with water aerobics, season tickets, daily admission, and pool rentals available.  A line of swimmers stretched a block long in anticipation, and sang their praises.

Sue Keefe, pool manager at the time, was blown away saying “It’s beyond my wildest expectations.”

The pool capacity is 425, and the visitor total for the opening day was near 400. On warm days, attendance stayed in the upper 300s.

Ten years later, the Clear Lake Aquatic Center is going strong. The price has gone up from $3 for daily admission to $3.50 since it opened, minor improvements have been made, and the pool has been maintained.  Attendance continues to remain steady, rising during the hottest days of the summer, and depending on Clear Lake events.

“Ten years later, the pool has consistently operated with a net operating loss of approximately $50,000 per year. This is not out of line with what other area pools experience. I don’t think anyone had any expectations that it would be a cash cow. Conversely, we wanted to manage it and ensure it didn’t become a black hole money pit either,” said Flory.  “I believe this is yet another example of what communities most offer in order to attract families.  Things like ambulance service, parks, and libraries are all quality of life issues that people want and look for when making relocation decisions. Especially, business and industry. I recall one of the top officials with McKesson asking me about the aquatic center (and ambulance service) when the mayor and I were recruiting them to the City.”

The Clear Lake Aquatic Center is closed today through Friday (Aug. 23-25) as school is back in session.  It will be open regular weekend hours Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 26 and 27, then closed again Aug. 28-30.  The final days of the 2017 season will be Friday and Saturday, Sept. 1-2.

[/wlm_ismember]