Parks board OKs contractor for pool study
FORUM FILE PHOTO
6-15-20 aquatic center (copy)
MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Maryville Parks and Recreation board on Monday approved a contractor to perform an aquatic feasibility study that will lay out options for the future of the city’s swimming pool.
During its regular meeting on Monday, the board unanimously voted to accept a $43,700 bid from Water’s Edge Aquatic Design, of Kansas City, to perform the study. The contract must still be approved by the City Council before becoming official.
MPR Director Jeff Stubblefield said that the study will contain options both for remodeling the existing aquatic center and for constructing a new one, including the possibility of an indoor-outdoor facility.
“It’s been 31 years at that (current) facility and it’s aging — like me — rapidly,” Stubblefield said. “So we need to get a plan in place as to what we’re going to do in the future.”
The process will include public feedback opportunities, at least one public hearing to discuss community members’ preferences.
A new pool, or at least a remodel of the existing one, has been a high priority for MPR since Stubblefield took over five years ago. It was also a central issue he promised to address as part of the push for a parks sales tax that voters approved in April of last year. Maintenance on the aquatic center has become difficult and in some cases untenable, forcing occasional closures over the past decade for various issues.
MPR BY THE NUMBERS
Statistics are for FY 2023, from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023
| Attendance at Maryville Community Center | 73,657 |
| Attendance at Maryville Aquatic Center | 13,186 |
| Youth activity participants at Donaldson Westside Park | 610 |
| Youth activity participants at Maryville Community Center | 853 |
| Youth participants at Maryville Aquatic Center | 450 |
| Swim lessons provided by staff this summer | 3,572 |
| Adult activity participants at Beal Park and Donaldson Westside Park | 469 |
| Adult activity participants at Maryville Community Center (activities not included in membership) | 795 |
| Adult activity participants at Maryville Aquatic Center | 85 |
| Aquatic center and community center members who are not Maryville residents | 19% |
Source: Maryville Parks and Recreation
Other MPR news
- Stubblefield said the spray guns at the Thomson Splash ‘N’ Play aren’t working. A specialist will come to look at them after the park closes for the season to be repaired.
- Fall Fest is set for Sept. 16 and will include games and a petting zoo.
- Three more new spin bikes will arrive for use at the community center sometime in September, Stubblefield said, bringing the total to seven new spin bikes this year.
- Bailey Fergison, special events and marketing manager for MPR, resigned from her position effective Aug. 18 to pursue another career opportunity. Stubblefield said the job opening will be posted on the city’s website, Maryville.org, this week.
- 161 kids attended this year’s MPR summer camp.
- 35 young princesses turned out for a Princess Party hosted by MPR on July 29.
- More than 100 dogs and 70 humans attended the Pawsatlapoola fundraiser at the aquatic center on Aug. 14.
- The board voted to accept a $10,425 bid from Ag Power to purchase a 60-inch lawn mower to replace an aging model. The contract must still be approved by the City Council.
