Report states Highland Community Pool ‘functionally obsolete’
As the city looks to the new year, the city council will have decisions to make regarding the future of the Highland Community Pool.
A report submitted to the council in November states the pool, built in 1964, has multiple problems and does not meet current building codes. FGM Architects and Counsilman-Hunsaker & Associates were hired to audit the pool facility, and recommended either a $1.4 million renovation project or total replacement of the pool.
The pool’s attendance in 2018 was approximately 10,670 visitors, with an additional 9,000 approximated for use by a swim team and swim lessons offered at the pool, for a total of approximately 20,000 visits.
The pool was renovated in 1980 to its current footprint with two diving boards and a detached wading pool, but it is still not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act for parking, access paths, steps and grading. There is only one ADA parking spot for the entire facility, and grass lies between the parking lot and the paved pathway. Most of the counters are too high for people who use wheelchairs, according to the report.
Drainage is a problem throughout the facility as well, and there has been degradation to concrete walkways, uneven steps and other problems detailed in the report.
The bathhouse adjacent to the pool is original to the 1964 construction, created as an open-air facility, and has only had finishing and plumbing upgrades since. It does not have a space for guards to take breaks or a manager’s office, insufficient layout for security and does not meet code regarding the number of plumbing fixtures, and has significant drainage and ventilation problems.
The pools were last repainted in 2017 and have been well-maintained, according to the report, with a filter system installed in 2012. But the filter system does not meet current codes or industry design standards, as one filter handles both pools and does not provide the required filtration rate per state codes.
“While this pool facility has been well maintained over the years, it is becoming functionally obsolete,” the report states.
Pool deficient in multiple areas
FGM also warns any significant renovation attempts would trigger a review under the Illinois Accessibility Code and the pool would have to be brought up to access standards.
FGM’s report did state the renovation would be significantly less expensive than replacement, but the pool would still be “functionally obsolete.” Without new amenities or features, it stated, attendance would likely not increase, and the city does not own adjacent property for future expansions.
There was no cost estimate on building an entirely new pool, either at the existing location on Park Street or at a new location. However, it will definitely be more expensive than renovation, according to the report. A new facility would be designed for more modern uses and bather interests, it said, and might then increase revenue.
“It is our opinion that the community pool, in its current condition, has outlived its expected useful life,” the report concluded. “Though renovating this facility will extend the life of the pool, the pool will remain functionally obsolete, making the renovation not a cost-effective or suitable long-term solution.”
Continuing to ignore pool issues ‘willful misconduct’
The council did not take any action after hearing the report. Councilman John Hipskind stated he thought continuing to ignore the issues at the pool would be “willful misconduct” with problems such as cross-contamination and possible slip-and-fall incidents looming.
There was no time frame offered for when the council may have to make a decision regarding the future of the pool, which is currently closed for the winter.
The season is set to begin May 25 with season passes on sale May 1. Season passes generally run $95 for a family of five or $65 for a single adult, $50 for a single child, with discounts for senior citizens or members of the Korte Recreation Center.