Commentary: Board moves towards May 19 ballot

Two independent facility condition reports have confirmed the facility is at the end of its useful life and warned that a major system failure will force a permanent closure. Critical safety gaps include outdated electrical panels, fire sprinkler systems, and facility limitations that don’t meet ADA standards. 

“Every time something breaks, we face the same question,” said Executive Director Mark Hickok. “Does this repair justify itself, or are we just throwing good money at bad? We are currently operating through constant workarounds for systems that aren’t even made anymore.”

May 19 proposal: A Two-part solution

The board is moving forward with two distinct measures for the May 19 election, both of which represent significant reductions from the 2024 proposals presented to voters. Fundraising, increased out-of-district user fees, and grants were factored in to reduce the amount of funding needed from taxpayers. The proposals include:

1. The Capital Bond ($40.36 million): A long-term investment to replace the current failing facility with a modern, energy-efficient aquatic center on the same site and size. The proposal includes a competition lap pool and a warm-water pool, both on a single level for full ADA Accessibility.

2. The Operations Levy ($0.33 per $1,000): A five-year measure to provide the operational funding needed to maintain 73 acres of parkland and 6 miles of trails. Crucially, this levy would also sustain the youth sports and enrichment after-school programs that were transferred from the School District in 2021.

The stakes of the May 19 vote go beyond the pool. If funding is not approved, the district stated that community recreation programs will be cut at the end of the summer. This would eliminate youth and adult sports, as well as youth enrichment programs. Without levy funding, the district would not have enough funding for staff to coordinate programs.

Services such as in-person registration, bilingual customer service and outreach, administrative support, and need-based fee reductions would also be eliminated.

Built-In Accountability

Reflecting community feedback from previous years, the new bond capital improvement proposal is smaller in scope. If approved, a citizen oversight committee and owner’s representative will help oversee the bond project, providing additional expertise to complement that of the district board and current staff.

For more details on the May 19 measures or to view the facility condition reports, visit www.hoodriverparksandrec.org/2026-proposal.