LAKEPORT— Phase 2 of a feasibility study for a community recreation and aquatic center or centers that could serve the whole county got the green light Tuesday from the Lake County Board of Supervisors.
The BOS’ approval of Phase 2 gives consultants Studio W Architects, Aquatic Design Group and Shellito Training and Consulting the go-ahead to continue with the study. Their work would include evaluating the results of a public survey, further developing concept designs, performing a more detailed operational analysis, and producing a final report to be presented to the county and the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport.
The county, Clearlake and Lakeport in February agreed to co-share the costs of the feasibility study estimated at $152,000. Phase 1 had a price tag of $60,000 and Phase 2 is estimated at $92,000. The county’s cost shares of $20,000 for Phase 1 and $31,000 for Phase 2 are being funded through its Cannabis Internal Program.
Work for Phase 1 included a market analysis, development of a citizen participation plan, recreation center conceptual options, identification of potential partners, analysis of project location opportunities surrounding the incorporated areas of Lake County, organizational management recommendations, and cost estimates.
Phase 2 would only start once Phase 1 was completed and presented to the three payers. Phase 1 was presented to Clearlake city officials last month and to Lakeport city officials last week. At Tuesday’s meeting, Lake County Public Services Director Lars Ewing and representatives from the consulting firms presented Phase 1 to the BOS before Phase 2 could be authorized.
In his opening remarks, Ewing said, “Two years ago, a group from around the county started discussions of a pool in the general area of Lakeport. The conversation shifted to include Clearlake and broader recreation.”
In their presentation, the consultants identified four potential locations for a recreation and aquatic center – Burns Valley Park in Clearlake; and Westshore Swimming Pool, Quail Run Fitness Center and Westside Community Park in Lakeport.
The inclusion of three locations in Lakeport, one in Clearlake and none elsewhere drew a mixed reaction from the supervisors. Before accepting Phase 1 and approving Phase 2, they reached a consensus and advised the consultants to extend their search for a location throughout the county.
Input from the supervisors and the public leaned heavily in favor of having a pool that would be used for competitive, recreational and therapy reasons.
The consultants’ report concluded: “There is marketability and need for such a resource in the Lake County region, given the participation of the task force, the interest from a variety of different partners and the lack of a facility of this kind in the vicinity. This is an indication that a resource of this kind has the potential to be successful in the region. The program needs are well defined and project locations exist with both new construction and renovation opportunities. This enables the consulting team to identify potential costs for both capital and operational expenditures.”
”What remains less defined are the management structure (who takes the lead) and the primary funding source (how will it be financed) in order to bring this facility to completion. The consultant recommends the County of Lake and Cities of Lakeport and Clearlake refine the potential sites to one to two options and consider embarking on Phase 2, where conceptual design and more detailed estimates for capital and operational expenditures would be developed. This would enable the Lake County Recreation Task Force (LTCRTF) to determine the amount of funding needed and what management structure (if any) ought to be undertaken.”
