SOUTH WHIDBEY: Aquatic center cost estimate escalates (WNT)

Kira Erickson reports in the South Whidbey Record from the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District board meeting of Wed., Aug. 16, 2023.

Skyrocketing construction costs have caused the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District to reevaluate its design priorities for a proposed recreational aquatic facility.

Come November, voters have the chance to approve a $27 million bond for the project, which will be on the general election ballot. The rate is 17 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. For a homeowner whose assessed value is $500,000, this amounts to a monthly increase of about $7, or $85 per year.

During its August meeting, the parks and rec board learned that the updated cost estimate for the pool project was about $10 million over what had been budgeted earlier this year.

Informational sessions on the upcoming bond are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 14 and Oct. 19, location to be determined, led by district officials. The foundation also has info booths at the Bayview and Tilth farmers markets.

They Said It

“As anyone knows who’s trying to get work done around Whidbey, the cost is high,” Commissioner Matt Simms said in an interview this week.

Simms said it’s likely the two ideas will be combined into a third option, which requires making reductions to the building’s interior while also using a less expensive building technique for its exterior.

If the bond is approved this fall, Simms said construction will begin almost immediately. The targeted opening for the facility is summer 2025. It will be located at the entrance to South Whidbey Community Park on Maxwelton Road, within a building footprint of 20,000 square feet.

The project received a total of $750,000 from the 2022-2023 state capital budget to fund design costs. In addition, Pacific Northwest Swimming, a branch of USA Swimming that fosters growth in youth swim programs, contributed $20,000 to the feasibility study and the initial phase of the design work.

Since then, the project was awarded a $100,000 grant sponsored by the state Department of Commerce to incorporate solar panels into the facility’s design to create resilient power so the aquatic center can continue to operate in the case of a significant power outage. This means that the district is eligible to apply for additional funds for construction.

“The state’s really stepped up, and is telling us this is an important project,” Simms said [referring to a $100,000 grant awarded by the state Department of Commerce for incorporating solar panels into the facility].

“These are all things that represent to me what South Whidbey is all about – inclusion and accessibility and looking out for one another,” he said. “It’s been really rewarding to see all the hard work that’s been happening to make this a reality for everyone.”

On the Ballot in November 2023