The Tonkawa City Council will work on developing a plan for the City’s Municipal Swimming Pool at the August City Council Meeting. Reports from the “Ad-hoc Pool Committee” about various options for the pool will be discussed, as well as funding scenarios should the Council decide to repair or replace the old pool.
The Pool, originally built in 1936, was closed late in the 2016 swimming season due to the development of large leaks. The pool was losing several thousand gallons of water each day. The fresh water entering the pool to replace the lost water could not be treated adequately and the City could not guarantee that the pool water was safe. In addition, the conditions underneath the pool were unknown and there was concern that the bottom could collapse, pulling and trapping swimmers underwater.
A study of the pool showed that large gaps between the many concrete plates that make up the pool bottom had developed. Various methods to repair the gaps had been attempted for several years prior to closing the pool, but each attempt failed within weeks due to movement of the concrete plates. In addition, the bottom of the pool has large areas of rough and porous surface that allows algae to adhere and grow rapidly. Some areas of the pool bottom have areas that are sharp enough to cause cuts or abrasions to simmers feet.
The Ad-hoc Pool Committee has been developing recommendations for the City Council. Most options for a Municipal Pool include the addition of a “Zero Entry” side. This is a modern method to combine pool access for very young children and a play area for toddlers and children that have not yet learned to swim, combined with a deeper traditional pool. Improvements to the apron around the pool, including shade areas, are also envisioned. Options for a lap swimming and diving area have been included in some proposals.
Estimates of the cost of a new pool have been developed by several municipal pool contractors and consultants. Most estimates put the cost of a new pool at the current site at 1.5 million dollars.
A new pool at a different site would require up to an additional million dollars to build. Building at the existing site is less expensive because it already has water treatment infrastructure and the existing bath house and locker room facilities. The City Council will discuss methods for building a pool without ...
