City considers user fees for Kurt Beyer pool
NORWICH – Admission or membership fees might be part of the equation for affording the costly repairs needed to open Kurt Beyer Pool as planned by next June, Norwich City officials say.
The city’s public pool remained closed throughout the summer. It is in need of a new filteration system, electrical system and sealant inside and around the pool’s perimeter. The city applied for a New York State Environmental Protection Fund grant in October to help pay for the project and is currently awaiting approval.
“We expect to hear back by mid to late December,” Norwich Public Works Superintendent Carl Ivarson said.
The grant would cover the cost of most repairs, but even with grant money, there is still a possibility for the city to pay from reserves for the remainder of the $215,000 project. The amount paid by the city may even be more costly if assistance comes in at a lesser amount or is even declined, said Norwich Planning and Community Development Specialist Todd Dreyer.
The work would be contracted out, said Ivarson, and, if the grant comes through, the city plans go to bid in January. The work is expected to take several months.
“All the council and the mayor want it done by June 1 ... I know everyone wants to get it repaired,” Ivarson said.
Admission to the pool has been free in the past, and the possibility of a user or membership fee is now only talk among city council members.
“Some municipalities do have charge fees, but nothing is in place right now. If it is decided that there is a fee, the fee would be determined by the council,” Youth Bureau Director Robert Mason said. Other community pools in the region charge varying user fees, from 50 cents to five dollars, he said.
Over the summer, the city leased Norwich High School’s pool, but saw a drastic decline in the number of swimmers. City records show that 3,213 swimmers took advantage of the offer, whereas 11,787 used Kurt Beyer in 2010 and 16,419 in 2009. The pool has drawn an average of 15,600 swimmers annually over the last eight years.
The city’s public pool remained closed throughout the summer. It is in need of a new filteration system, electrical system and sealant inside and around the pool’s perimeter. The city applied for a New York State Environmental Protection Fund grant in October to help pay for the project and is currently awaiting approval.
“We expect to hear back by mid to late December,” Norwich Public Works Superintendent Carl Ivarson said.
The grant would cover the cost of most repairs, but even with grant money, there is still a possibility for the city to pay from reserves for the remainder of the $215,000 project. The amount paid by the city may even be more costly if assistance comes in at a lesser amount or is even declined, said Norwich Planning and Community Development Specialist Todd Dreyer.
The work would be contracted out, said Ivarson, and, if the grant comes through, the city plans go to bid in January. The work is expected to take several months.
“All the council and the mayor want it done by June 1 ... I know everyone wants to get it repaired,” Ivarson said.
Admission to the pool has been free in the past, and the possibility of a user or membership fee is now only talk among city council members.
“Some municipalities do have charge fees, but nothing is in place right now. If it is decided that there is a fee, the fee would be determined by the council,” Youth Bureau Director Robert Mason said. Other community pools in the region charge varying user fees, from 50 cents to five dollars, he said.
Over the summer, the city leased Norwich High School’s pool, but saw a drastic decline in the number of swimmers. City records show that 3,213 swimmers took advantage of the offer, whereas 11,787 used Kurt Beyer in 2010 and 16,419 in 2009. The pool has drawn an average of 15,600 swimmers annually over the last eight years.
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