The Shakopee City Council is weighing options for funding a multimillion dollar renovation to the city's aging sand-bottomed pool, including whether they could hold a referendum to let voters decide on paying for improvements.
After a spirited discussion last week about the pool's value and the $7 million price tag for renovations, the council unanimously voted to have staff bring back details about the feasibility of the referendum idea.
"This is a little too lofty for me to support. I'd like to see it scaled down," Mayor Matt Lehman said of the project.
Council Member Angelica Contreras called the pool "our hidden treasure" and said it was an important asset for Shakopee.
"Yes, it's expensive, and if we keep waiting a couple more years, it's going to be more expensive," she said.
The 50-year-old chlorinated pool at Shakopee's Lion's Park, which is city owned and run by the Parks and Recreation Department, is one of just four sand-bottomed pools in Minnesota. The pool had 27,000 visitors in 2022 and use has grown more than 37% since 2019, a city memo said.
But the pool needs repairs, and city staff has been presenting plans to the council since 2018. A feasibility study found the pool's liner, plumbing and curb walls are failing and need replacement. The site's buildings are in poor condition and can't be reused, a city memo said.
The most recent plans call for demolishing the pool and buildings and installing new ones. The price tag has grown from $5 million to $7 million, which includes adding new features such as a climbing wall, a resurfaced slide and an area where parents can watch children play.
