On January 9, the City Council moved forward with placing a Community Center Referendum Question on the November 2021 ballot. Included in the concept will be a 50-meter outdoor pool, which provides opportunities to partner with swim clubs and secure potential state funding for part of the project. Council Members weighed cost-benefit analysis data when deciding on the outdoor option, which is much less expensive to build and allows for a 75 to 100% cost recovery. Indoor aquatic centers typically only allow for cost recovery abilities in the 30 to 50% range. Annual operating losses for indoor centers are also more than double those found with outdoor facilities. The outdoor aquatic center model and concept is based, in part, on a facility recently constructed in the City of New Hope (pictured left). The Cottage Grove proposal also includes water slides, a lazy river, zip lines and shallow water play features. The Community Center concept voters will decide upon would be located off Keats Avenue, across the street from the entrance of Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park and would include the following amenities:
• Indoor Playground
• Community or Multi-Purpose Rooms
• Sports Dome with Walking Track
• Performance Space
• Early Childhood Family Education
• CGAA Office and Storage Space
• Outdoor Landscaped Areas
• Outdoor Aquatic Center with a 50-Meter Pool
The estimated project cost is $39.2 million and City staff members are exploring potential partnerships and use agreements to minimize the cost to taxpayers. As those conversations come together, the City will provide more concrete data on potential taxpayer impact in the coming weeks. If the referendum passes, there will not be a tax impact for residents until 2023.
