Elyria City Council discusses future of aquatics facilities

ELYRIA — The city could move forward with proposals to improve and add indoor and outdoor swimming facilities, but where the money would come from remains in question. Future plans for aquatic facilities as well as improved walking, hiking and bike paths in the city took up a large portion of two Elyria City Council committee meetings Monday night. Patrick Hoagland, principal at Brandstter Carroll Inc., told Council's Community Development and Finance committees on Monday that per the 2020 Elyria Parks and Recreation Master Plan, "people love those activities that bring people together." Improving the city's aquatic facilities has been proposed since at least 2005, but the funding hasn't always been there and proposed improvements have taken a backseat to street improvements, the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. Elyria used to have four outdoor pools, but now only has two: One each at the East and North recreation centers. Those two pools need at least $500,000 worth of updates and upgrades, Hoagland said, and the city is losing about $144,000 annually as usage dwindles. Aquatic facilities in Avon, Avon Lake and Westlake see more visitors each year, and Elyria charges less for the public to use its pools than any of those cities, Hoagland said. Where a brand new or significantly upgraded aquatics facility would be located in the city remains to be seen. Council members including Donna Mitchell, D-6th Ward, and Brenda Davis, D-2nd Ward, said they would push for indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities on the city's west side. Mitchell, who wondered how East Park was decided upon for an outdoor facility and why West Park was not, said she would push for West Park to host any new facilities. East Park already has a pool, she said. Councilman Phil Tollett, D-at large, said a housing boom in the neighborhoods served by East Park such as along Chestnut Ridge Road made a pool viable at East Park. Mitchell replied that both the east and west ends of the city are growing. It could cost up to $10 million to build an indoor pool, Hoagland said, that would lose up to $250,000 in costs annually because outdoor pools attract more people excited by the idea of going to one in the summer. He said his company has done studies on the matter and has data to back up its conclusions. Then there is the issue of funding. The cost for a brand new outdoor pool with a handicapped-accessible splash pad could be $4.5 million, Hoagland estimated. Finance Director Ted Pileski also reminded Council members that Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems is leaving the city at the end of the year and taking $1.5 million in income tax revenue with it. Possible sources of funding could include Issue 6 dollars, Community Development Block Grant funding (for the South and West recreation areas), grants, American Rescue Plan Act funds, sponsorship and naming rights or private donations. "We've got to figure out a way to pay for it," Mitchell said. Council President Vic Stewart told his colleagues that additional conversations will happen and are welcome. "If we could (find money) this could be a big draw to our city," Councilman Kenny Oswald, D-4th Ward, said. Active Transportation Plan Eighteen months of planning also has led to a nearly-finalized Elyria Active Transportation Plan, Sara Tillie of Lorain County Public Health told Council's Community Development Committee on Monday. The aim is to benefit the overall health of citizens through walking, hiking, and biking infrastructure, but the ATP is just "guidance, not gospel," Tillie said. Once the plan is finalized the city can go out and apply for funding to try and make the plan a reality. Eight community stakeholder interviews, three public meetings, 94 returned public survey responses, nine responses from Elyria school principals and a community walk through the Eastern Heights neighborhood led to the development of the plan. The plan includes closing sidewalk gaps across the city, improved markings in crosswalks, signage, flashing beacons and pedestrian signals. The areas of Abbe Road North by Lorain County Community College; Abbe Road South, south of Cleveland Street; Middle Avenue by Colonial Oaks Mobile Home Park; Burns Road by Hilltop Park; and Griswold Road, Murray Ridge Road and Adelbert Road by Crestwood Elementary School were a focus, according to slides shown to the committee from a report by Toole Design. Safe crossing projects at Abbe Road North and state Route 57/John F. Kennedy Memorial Parkway; Abbe Road North and Cleveland Street; Leo Bullocks Parkway and the Northcoast Inland Trail; Burns and Gulf roads; and Oberlin Road and West Avenue also are part of the plan. Neighborhood greenways, separated bike lanes, walking and bike paths also were included, and more information can be found at www.cityofelyria.org/transportation. CDBG The Community Development and Finance committees also held a third public hearing on the proposed 2022 CDBG funding. Current CDBG funding proposals are $380,660 over budget, Community Development Manager Mona Almobayyed said and some cuts were made while the city is working with outside agencies to find funding for other community proposals for funding. No action was taken on the CDBG action plan, pending a public comment period from Oct. 29 to Nov. 29. Full Council should see a finalized plan for a vote Dec. 6. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him at @daveobrienCT on Twitter.