Three New Options to Upgrade/Replace the Pools

Community meetings sponsored by the high school were held on April 9, 11 or 12 - see LINK
Those who attended the community meeting at the high school on Saturday, 4/9 found it informative and worthwhile.  If at all possible, please participate in one of the two remaining meetings, tonight (Monday, April 11 at the River Forest Community Center) or tomorrow evening (Tuesday, April 12 at the high school). Times and details are included in the link above.

At the meeting, the original proposal for a 50 meter pool on the site of the current parking garage was included along with three new proposals.  One of these new proposals maintained the current parking garage and rebuilds the west pool in place but with a slightly smaller footprint to allow for a pool deck that meets current safety codes.  It also includes replacing the current east pool with a larger pool (25 yards, eight lanes) in essentially the same location.  

The other two proposals would place a new parking garage AND pool on the site of the current parking garage.   One of these includes one new 40 meter "stretch" competition pool and completely eliminates the current east and west pools.  A stretch pool is longer than standard (25 yards) and includes a bulkhead that divides the 25 yard swimming portion from the deeper diving portion. The bulkhead is moveable for flexibility.

The other proposal includes a new parking garage and builds a new 25 yard competition pool.  It includes the current east pool in a similar footprint but with decking that meets current code. Both of these last two proposals include significant additional space that could be used for classrooms, offices or other activities.

There are links with much more information on all of these options posted on the high school's "Current Pool Updates" website: oprfhs.org/board-of-education/Current-Pool-Updates.cfm. Here are the specific links to the information that was displayed or distributed at the Community Meetings.
Renderings of Pool Options: OPTIONS (4 pages, one page per option)
Summary Chart Comparing Options: Chart (one page)

For information comparing various pool sizes and associated costs, please see the previous blog post Pool Costs Compared to Build and Maintain

  

Pool Costs Compared to Build and Maintain - 25 yards vs 50 meters

Sign up to attend one of the community meetings sponsored by the high school on April 9, 11 or 12 at this LINK

U.S.A. Swimming, (www.usaswimming.org) a governing body for the sport of swimming in the United States, is a 400,000-member service organization for all levels of the swimming community. They have published a very interesting analysis comparing the costs to build and maintain a 25 yard pool (the general standard for high school pools) to those for a 50 meter pool (the Olympic standard).  This organization is cited in both the Stantec Report and the Natatorium Proposal put together by the local swimming community. 

Here is a LINK to the analysis and comparisons provided by USA Swimming.  Looking at their analysis, it's easy to see the enormous cost differences in the two sizes, as well as the difficulty in finding an appropriately sized building site for a 50 meter pool.  The charts below were taken directly from the report.  The first one compares the cost to BUILD the pool.  Including the deck, building a 50 meter pool costs more than THREE TIMES the cost of a 25 yard pool. 

(click on the images for an enlarged view)

The chart above includes only the pool, not the structure that houses the pool.  The next chart (below) compares the cost - and sizes - of the structures required to house each size pool.

As you can see, the structure to house a 50 meter pool is more than twice the size of the structure to house a 25 yard pool, and it costs more than twice as much to build.  Aside from the additional cost to build a structure of this size, there is also the issue of finding a place to put it.

Finally, there are the costs to maintain the pool.  Again, the costs for a 50 meter pool are more than twice the costs for a 25 yard pool.  See the charts below, taken directly from the report.

Reviewing this data, it seems clear that if we're looking for a more cost effective solution, building and maintaining a 50 meter pool is NOT the pragmatic choice.

EDIT: Here's a LINK to a document from the OPRFHS D200 special meeting in October 2015 with some interesting information concerning the option for an 11 lane, 25 yard pool - IN PARTICULAR, NOTE PAGES 18 & 19. While larger than an 8-lane, 25 yard pool, it would have a significantly smaller footprint than the 50 meter pool currently approved by the board. 
(the link is also posted in the comment below)

  

Community Meetings in April sponsored by D200

The D200 school board is hosting three community meetings to share options and to gather community feedback as it considers solutions for replacing and/or rebuilding the district’s 90-year-old pools and possibly revising its current proposal (see note below) to improve the pools at the high school. Please plan to attend to learn more and share your thoughts. 
More information about these meetings at this LINK. 
The link includes additional background information.
Dates - times - places for these meetings are:
Saturday, APRIL 9 at OPRF High School
Pool Tour: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, Field House
Meeting: 12:30 - 2:00 pm, South Cafeteria

Monday, APRIL 11 at River Forest Community Center 
8020 W. Madison St., River Forest 
Pool Tour: 3:30 - 4:30 pm, OPRFHS Field House 
Meeting: 7:30 - 9:00 pm, RFCC Gymnasium

Tuesday, APRIL 12 at OPRF High School
Pool Tour: 6:30 - 7:30 pm, Field House
Meeting:7:30 - 9:00 pm, South Cafeteria


NOTE:  The current proposal is the one approved last fall for a new natatorium with a 50 meter pool on the site of the existing parking garage, which would be taken down.

Our Mission Statement

To advocate a pragmatic solution to the OPRF pool problem that is fiscally responsible and preserves and maintains the parking garage.