Friday, September 15, 2000
Aquatic center plan criticized
Commissioner says she prefers multiuse facility
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer Contributor
BURLINGTON — At least one Boone County commissioner thinks a proposed aquatic center had better include a multipurpose building.
Commissioner Cathy Flaig, of Hebron, said aging baby boomers will want a place to meet or play games before they want to dive into a swimming pool.
Boone Fiscal Court is expected to discuss the center — part of a 20-year, $38 million recreation master plan — at a meeting 5 p.m. Tuesday.
No detailed plans have been drawn up, but County Parks and Recreation Director Ken Hund wants to see indoor and outdoor pools of various depths at the center. It is not yet certain whether the pools will be mostly for recreational use or for competitive meets.
“I want to see a multipurpose center first and an aquatic center second,” Mrs. Flaig said. “In 10 years half the population will be over 50.”
At about $2.2 million, the aquatic center is one of the most expensive items on the list of items recommended by Branstetter Carroll Inc., a Lexington consulting firm. It was considered the most important item by a county advisory committee.
There are currently two pools used for competitive swimming — Scott High School in Taylor Mill and Silver Lake Recreation Center on Kenton Lands Road in Erlanger.
Other recommended items include parks in Union, Verona, Belleview and Petersburg, three new neighborhood parks in Hebron and a north riverfront park.
Pat Hoagland, director of the recreation and planning division at Branstetter Carroll, said possible funding sources include state and federal grants, bonds, new fees on developers and private land donations. He said the county could even seek money from the state budget if there is still a surplus later.
Mr. Hoagland said it could cost the county $8.5 million to buy the 14 parcels covering nearly 360 acres for all the recreation projects the county is considering.
Mr. Hund said the aquatic center would likely be built at either Boone Woods Park on Ky. 18 or somewhere in Florence, possibly on a 5-acre tract near the city government center on Ewing Boulevard.
Mr. Hund said there are advantages to both sites. He said a Florence location gives the county a better chance to pay operating costs because there is a larger population base, but the Boone Woods location is more accessible.
Either way, Mr. Hund said it will be awhile before plans start.
“You can have a shopping list, but when making the (land) acquisitions you have to go with down your list and make your acquisitions based on what's available,” Mr. Hund said.
County Commissioner Robert Hay said he wants to see an ice skating facility as part of the plans. He said the county and the Northern Kentucky Ice Center, which owns a facility on Anderson Road in Crescent Springs, are talking about the idea.
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