Parks, Forestry and Recreation Committee Seeks Representatives for Platteville Aquatic Recreation Sub-Committee

PLATTEVILLE, WI (July 1, 2024) – As publicly announced in May 2024, the Platteville Family Aquatic Center experienced catastrophic damages that have left the current pool inoperable.

The Parks, Forestry, and Recreation Committee has determined a need to form an Aquatic Recreation Sub-Committee to study the current Platteville Community desires in aquatic recreation, assess the current resources and limitations of the city and community partners, and present a report with recommendations on a concept-vision for future aquatic recreation to the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Committee for their consideration, by no later than February 17, 2025.

This sub-committee will be composed of 8 voting members:
   2 representatives of the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Committee, 
   1 representative of the City Council,
   5 at-large representatives of the community

• advisory and support members may be appointed but will not be considered voting members in satisfying a quorum or voting on action items,
• sub-committee chair will be appointed by vote of the sub-committee,
• sub-committee positions are volunteer in nature with no per diem provided.

The Parks and Recreation Director and/or City Manager will serve as an advisor to the sub-committee.

It is intended that the sub-committee will meet in open session at least once monthly, and sometimes more frequently as determined to be necessary by the Chairperson of the Subcommittee and/or the Director of Recreation to ensure the February deadline is met, and that a monthly report be delivered to the Parks, Forestry, and Recreation Committee at their monthly business meetings.

The sub-committee will be charged with developing three distinct courses of action and making a recommendation to the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Committee on the future concept-vision of aquatic recreation.  These three courses of action should be focused on the following elements:

1. Functions – engaging with community members and partners in assessing the aquatic recreational needs, wants and desires, at a functional level. (Examples look like = Aerobic Exercise, Lap Swimming, Sun Deck, Diving Well, Slides and Water Features, Accessibility, other functions; and less like = “The water slide in Dubuque, the splash features in Verona, the locker room benches in Lancaster.  This level of detail would come in future phases)
    
2. Location – assessment of a location for an aquatic recreation facility.  (the sub-committee may have to work with staff on necessary ground studies to assess suitability, ground integrity, land acquisition, etc. (or make recommendations pending such studies and land acquisition)
    
3. Cost to build the concept-vision – very basic estimate in the million-dollar range (based on available information)
    
4. Cost to operate and maintain – very basic estimate of annual operation expenses in staffing and maintenance to operate the concept – vision through the anticipated lifespan.  (based on available information)
    
5. Revenues and funding sources – understanding of necessary funding for a project with consideration for tax levy support, city borrowing, grants, partners, fund-raising, etc.  It is anticipated that the recommendation will include a feasible financial plan to fund the project (with possible contingent resources). 
    
6. Time to complete – estimated timeline on achieving project completion with consideration of contingent funding and further design development.
    
7. Other significant factors – as the sub-committee begins to evaluate, other significant factors of consideration may emerge. 

It is anticipated that the final report and recommendation to the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Committee will be presented with a decision-matrix comparing the three, distinct options to the identified elements above.  This study may serve as the base document for forming a future request for proposals in engaging with a pool engineering firm to design.  The recommendation should include a general process with recommended next actions.

All interested City of Platteville residents are invited to apply.  Preference may be given to applicants with experiences in pool management, aquatic recreation, engineering, parks experience, local government, fund raising or grant writing, local and regional networking, and time availability (as it is intended that members will be able to support this project with time invested into research, planning and developing a vision-concept recommendation).  

Letters of interest should address the skills, experiences, and knowledge that you can share. Letters should also include home mailing address and/or employer mailing address (if applicable), as well as preferred email address and phone number.

Letters of interest should be sent to:  City of Platteville Aquatic Recreation Sub-Committee, 75 N Bonson St, Platteville WI 53818.  Letters may also be dropped at City Hall, either inside at the administrative office (2^nd floor) or in the outside drop box.  Letters may also be emailed through the “Contact Us” section on the City’s website - https://www.platteville.org/contact (choose Parks & Recreation) and include Platteville Aquatic Recreation Sub-Committee in the comments portion, then upload your letter.  Letters will be accepted through July 21, 2024.

Questions may be directed to Parks and Recreation Director Robert Lowe, (608) 348-1827 or lower@platteville.org.