City Engineer Ian Kohli showcased the Lima Community Aquatic Center renderings to community members Tuesday evening.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
LIMA — Coming very soon, the City of Lima will open a new aquatic center located between Lima Stadium Park and Lincoln Park. The new pool will replace the beloved Schoonover Pool that closed in 2020 and never reopened. After discovering Schoonover would cost more than $1 million just to repair, the city decided to build something new.
At a previous meeting, Mayor Sharetta Smith said the city discussed building this pool before her administration began. Once the funds became available the decision became clear. The project is fully funded at $9.8 million. The City of Lima provided $4 million from its General Fund, Lima City Schools provided $2.4 million and $2.4 million was provided by the state.
According to the City of Lima, the city, YMCA and Lima City Schools have partnered together to make this possible. Each entity will play a role in the pool’s management, upkeep and staffing.
The City of Lima hosted its second public pool meeting on Tuesday evening. Community members met at the City Club to gain insight into the pool’s progress and pool updates.
“We’re getting closer to the end of the schematic design which is just kind of the general layout of the pool and the site,” said Public Works Director Kirk Niemeyer. “We have presented a couple of different options as far as the pool house goes.”
The Lima Aquatic Center will have an outside swimming pool, a swimming pool with retractable roof, slides, play areas and more.
“We have some information on the enclosure,” added Niemeyer. “It does open up; it is retractable. The frame of the building is fixed but the sides open up. That allows us to keep that part of the pool in operation for 12 months. The part that is not undercover is for normal pool season.”
Niemeyer also said the pool should begin construction in 2024 and be complete by spring 2025.
Community members were welcome to view the renderings, answer a survey and have a one-on-one Q & A.
“I think it would be the most exciting thing for Lima,” said community member Patty Cassell. “I want for people who come to Lima to work at the hospitals (because I do a lot of tours for new residents who come to work here); I want one more thing to tell them that is great about Lima, so I am excited about that.”
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
