Designers working on the Fort Dodge aquatic center plans are striving to make sure the light and noise from it won't disturb the people who live nearby.
The entire project is still on track to open on June 1, 2010, as Craig Erickson from the consulting firm Shive-Hattery in West Des Moines told the City Council Monday. He said construction should start in April 2009.
Erickson and Dave Schwartz, of Water's Edge Aquatic Design in Lenexa, Kan., explained that the center's three pools will be built on the western end of the site near 32nd Street and 10th Avenue North. That's different from plans displayed before the August referendum election, which showed the pools located more toward the eastern end. Erickson said that shift was necessary because of the low level of the ground on the east side.
Schwartz said the center will be surrounded by 4- to 5-foot-high berms to block the view of the site.
He added that all lights on the property will be aimed so there is ''no spillover light'' that could be a nuisance to people who live nearby.
According to Schwartz, the largest structure on the property, the tower leading to the water slides, will be ''one and two-thirds football fields'' from the nearest house.
The plans for the center will be presented Monday evening during an open house from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Municipal Building, 819 First Ave. S.
Also, the project will come before the Board of Adjustment Dec. 2, at which time the Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department will ask for a special exception to allow the use of the site for a park and aquatic center.
The center will consist of:
- An eight-lane lap pool with diving boards and slides.
- A shallow pool for young children featuring water toys and a bucket that dumps water on bathers.
- A pool with three large slides.
- A channel called a lazy river.
It will be built on 23 acres donated by Tom and Norma Schmoker, of Fort Dodge.
In the August referendum, voters gave the city government permission to borrow up to $8.95 million to develop the center and an adjacent park. That debt will be paid off with property taxes.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net