Final stretch for White Salmon pool

WHITE SALMON — With grant deadlines and building rules to abide by, the clock to construct a new pool next to Columbia High School is officially ticking, and the White Salmon Valley Pool Metropolitan Park District (WSVPMPD) is pushing to close the final funding gap.

In June, WSVPMPD received its second of two grants from Washington’s Recreation and Conservation Office, totaling $2.7 million and bringing the district to nearly 70% of its $8.4 million fundraising goal. Construction can begin once WSVPMPD reaches the 80% threshold, which the district is aiming to accomplish by early 2026.

Grants come with strings, however, and in WSVPMPD’s case, that means completing the project within two years — or at least meeting significant milestones. Even more urgent, the district’s building permits are slated for approval in December, so the first inspection must happen within 180 days. WSVPMPD will lose those permits if there’s nothing to inspect and would then have to reapply under different building codes, immediately tacking on an extra $1.5 million in redesign and construction costs.

“If the community wants the pool, this is the time,” said WSVPMPD Commissioner Lily von Mosch. “We could build it tomorrow if our original estimate from 2021 was still the same price.”

Due to inflation, among other factors, the pool’s price tag has grown by over $3 million in the past four years. Commissioners have recouped some of those costs by working on a volunteer basis. They also chose to make the eight-lane, 25-yard pool seasonal instead of year-round, ensuring it actually stays open while also putting less of a burden on taxpayers.

“The Stevenson pool closed because they did not have  enough money to operate it, and there’s nothing more depressing than a closed pool,” von Mosch said. Hood River’s enclosed pool cost just over $1 million to operate last fiscal year, and residents subsidized more than half through property taxes.

Recognizing the former pool was beyond repair, residents in the White Salmon Valley voted to form WSVPMPD and pay a levy pegged to the annual operating cost of the pool once it was completed, estimated at $330,000. The rate began at $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value in 2018, but is now $0.167 per $1000 of assessed property value, which comes out to about $67 annually for a home worth $400,000

Von Mosch said people from Underwood and Lyle have approached commissioners about potentially joining the district, and Trout Lake has a measure on November’s ballot asking voters if they approve of annexation. Last Tuesday, the Trout Lake Community Council held an information session so residents could weigh the pros and cons of joining.

Trout Lake talks annexation

Support for the measure was mixed at Trout Lake’s Grange on Oct. 7, where residents got the opportunity to question von Mosch, along with Commissioner Karen Boroughs, and hear arguments from both sides. Travis Pearson, who sits on the community council, emphasized the additional taxes and asked whether those dollars should go toward something else.

“I think it’s important to know what we’re voting on. And, are we in agreement on this as a community?” said Pearson. “Are there other things that would be more beneficial?”

With a smaller population, he also worried Trout Lake would be outnumbered if, for example, the district voted on a levy increase at some point in the future, and largely viewed his community as distinct. Pearson was further skeptical about whether residents would use the pool enough to offset the costs, even with discounted fees people would receive through annexation.

Those at the meeting did learn, however, that annexation is not a permanent decision, quelling another big concern. Trout Lake could withdraw from the district with another ballot measure, according to state law, plus von Mosch highlighted that Trout Lake would be able to run candidates for seats on the district commission if annexation proceeds, and have generally more say about how the pool operates.

A major sticking point for those in favor of annexation was the opportunity it would provide children to recreate, and learn an important skill, in a safe environment.

“I think we absolutely have to support youth in our community. They don’t have access to community places where they can go play, bond and get instruction from other adults,” said Joanna Turner, another community council member. “Even though we’re in Trout Lake and White Salmon is 20 or so miles down the road, we’re part of the same community. We absolutely are.”

Others pointed out that Trout Lake has no issues already sharing a library district and emergency services with White Salmon. By allowing more children to become confident swimmers, pools could save taxpayers in the long run by preventing unintentional drowning deaths as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning deaths cost, both in terms of medical expenses and the value of a life lost, the United States nearly $50 billion in 2023. During the four years prior, 770 people drowned across Washington, based on state data.

If Trout Lake joins, WSVMPD would receive a bump in funding, but not until 2027. The district hopes to break ground in 2026 and open the following year.