The City of White Salmon has been continuing to work diligently on moving forward with building a new pool. They are in the middle of a study on the operations and maintenance costs of the new pool.
Recently, Mayor Dave Poucher learned of a pool built by a nonprofit organization in the City of Tonasket at a cost of just over $1 million. The city has contacted the engineer of that project and will be visiting the site to confirm that it will work for White Salmon. The estimate to complete the pool for White Salmon is $1.5 million.
With this new information, the mayor has challenged the pool committee to raise the remaining funds as soon as possible to begin construction on the new pool this year.
The city has confirmed donations in the amount of $700,000 and are shy a little over half of the remaining funds, or $800,000.
In order to break ground on a new pool this year, the city will need an additional $300,000 by July 4, a month and a half away.
“This will allow us to start the project as we are working toward a deadline of July 7, 2021, when the lease with the White Salmon Valley School District ends and the current pool will need to be demolished,” Poucher said in a city news release. “The revised pool estimate will help us get there as will the support of the community.”
Part of the concessions that will be made for this lower cost pool include no therapy pool and no splash pad yet.
The site will consist of a multi-use pool, a bathhouse, and a mechanical room. However, the pool will be larger than the current pool, which is 39 feet wide by 79 feet long, with depth ranges from 2 feet, 9 inches to 9 feet, 1 inch.
The new aquatic center will consist of two adjoining pools. The larger of the two pools will have be just over 75 feet long by 42 feet wide to accommodate six lap lanes. This section will have a depth range of 4 feet to 12 feet and the diving board will remain in the deep end, with the possible addition of a slide.
The smaller pool, which will be used mostly for swim lessons, will be 62 feet long and 24 feet, 8 inches wide, with the possibility of having a zero-entry (similar to a beach entry) sloping down to 4 feet. The pools will be connected by an in-water aisle for easy transition from one pool to the other.
The pool committee will have booths at upcoming community events to solicit donations and answer questions. People who would like to donate or volunteer can contact City Hall at 509-493-1133, extension 205.
“With the continued support of the community, with lots of small donations all tax deductible, our goal of a new community pool is much closer than you think,” Poucher said.
In related news, the city pool will open for this season on Saturday, June 3, with a free community swim sponsored by Fred Simonson.
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