CITY AQUATIC CENTER
CITY COUNCIL
OCTOBER 18, 2022
BACKGROUND
• For FY 22-23, City Council allocated up to $7.5 million to fund 50% equal cost sharing with AUSD to renovate the Emma Hood Swim Center at Alameda HS. • Jan/Feb 2020: City held community workshops and developed a conceptual design for a City Aquatic Center. Due to pandemic, potential bond funding was not sought. • August 2020: Recreation & Parks Commission recommended the conceptual design including an indoor pool
• Feb 2022: City Council discussed pools and provided general direction to staff to pursue ways to fund both a City Aquatic Center and funding 50% to renovate Emma Hood Swim Center.
• September 2022: Recreation & Parks Commission unanimously recommended a City Aquatic Center and that it be located at the western side of Sweeney Park
AQUATIC NEEDS IN ALAMEDA
• Despite renovation of Emma Hood Swim Center, there remains a deficiency of pool space in Alameda.
• In 2020, ARPD expanded to year-round including daytime weekdays at Emma Hood and soon at Encinal Swim Center as well.
• Pre-2020: registered 700 people annually
• Now: register over 9,000 people annually
• Programs include lap swim, swim lessons, aqua fitness plus community use. Often have wait lists.
• Overall community aquatic team interest has increased. Not enough pool space for them to serve all youth who want to swim or play water polo.
AQUATIC FACILITY COMPARISON
City Pools Est. Total Swim Lanes
Alameda 25 yd (HS) 20 yd (HS)
25 yd (HS) Play pool (HS)
18 San Leandro 25 yd 30 m (HS) Play pool
25 yd 25yd x 6 yd (HS)
34 San Ramon 50 m 25 yd Play pool 52
Pleasanton 50 m 30 m (HS)
25 m Play pool
43 Walnut Creek 50 m 25 yd 30 m (HS)
25 m 20 yd 40 m (HS)
73 Concord 500 m 20 yd
20 yd 25 yd (HS)
28 POTENTIAL LOCATIONS
• Option 1 - Alameda Point, west of the O’Club off Main Street • Opportunities:
• Near future Regional Sports Complex and complementary • Economic development for Alameda Landing (1 mi) and Webster (2 mi) and Alameda Point businesses (0.5 mi)
• Activates area and with an equity perspective, is in walking distance of Alameda Point Collaborative residents
• Over six acres available to site Aquatic Center and parking • Challenges:
• Area will be inundated by sea level rise. Plans include levees and flood walls, pending funding and construction. Could build above ground facility. • Not easily accessible by bicycle or public transit.
POTENTIAL LOCATIONS
• Option 2 – Sweeney Park western phase near Constitution & Atlantic • Opportunities:
• Opportunity to complete the entire park through efficiency of scale. Include community garden and infrastructure for remainder of park in this project. • Economic development – walking distance to Webster St. and Marina Village • Easily accessible by bicycle/public transit
• Centrally located and with equity perspective, serves residents of three Housing Authority sites in walking distance
• Challenges:
• Change to design developed through extensive public planning. • Site could require further soil and groundwater remediation which adds cost. Could be above ground facility and/or pump with carbon filtration for groundwater.
PARKING
• Both locations have sufficient space for bicycle and vehicle parking. • For Sweeney Park location, adjacent Marina Village Business Park staff stated strong support of the project and willing to allow business parking area to be used as overflow on weekends.
FUNDING OPTIONS
• Cost to design and construct City Aquatic Center is $22M - $25M • On higher end if constructing at Sweeney Park and completing community garden and all park infrastructure.
• Potential funding sources
• Residual Unassigned General Fund balance: $31.27 million available for appropriate at the close of FYs 2020-2022
• Financing through a Certificate of Participation bond, which does not require voter approval
• Ask voters for permission to issue a General Obligation bond, which requires a 2/3 voter approval or
• A combination of these sources.
FINANCING ANALYSIS
Type of Debt Certificate of
Participation
General Obligation
Bonds
Amount of Debt to be
Issued
$31,325,000 $28,745,000
Construction Fund for
Aquatics Center
$25,000,000 $25,000,000
Overall Interest Cost to
City
4.84% 4.51%
Average Debt Service
Over 30 Years
$2,111,940 $1,813,801
NEXT STEPS
• Final approval by City Council on the following:
• Whether, or not, to move forward with a City Aquatic Center • If yes, how to fund it
• If yes, where to locate it
• If this project moves forward, next steps include:
1) Issue a Request for Proposals for a design/build team 2) Bring that design/build contract to City Council for final approval 3) Begin process of design, permits, and construction
4) Allocate operation and maintenance budget
5) Open a City Aquatic Center to the Alameda community