About 100 people, many of them skeptical, attended an hour-long public information session Jan. 22 on the proposal from the Park District of Oak Park to replace the Ridgeland Common outdoor swimming pool with an indoor aquatics facility.
The $40 million March 17 tax hike referendum to pay for the new pool will be the focus of two additional 7 p.m. information sessions: Feb. 4 and Feb. 25 at the Community Recreation Center.
If voters approve it, the park district would sell $40 million of bonds and build a new indoor aquatic center at Ridgeland Common destroying the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool in the process. Initial concepts for the indoor aquatic center include a 25-yard six-to- eight lane indoor pool, a smaller warm water pool for therapy, fitness and swim instruction, an indoor splash pad with small and large slides, new locker rooms, an updated lobby and a birthday room.
Oak Park’s other outdoor pool at Rehm Park will remain open.
Many at the meeting complained that the language of the referendum is misleading because it merely asks whether the Park District of Oak Park should issue $40 million in bonds to build an indoor aquatics facility and makes no mention of the indoor aquatics facility replacing the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool.
“The issue is the wording and for everyone in that room the issue is the wording,” said Elizabeth Wiser.
Jan Arnold, executive director of the park district, said that wording was suggested by the park district’s bond attorneys and that it is too late to change the language. She said that the park district is committed to informing the community of all aspects of the referendum.
“We are working diligently to make sure all of our residents have the information they need to make an informed decision,” Arnold said.
At one point, in response to audience reaction, Kassie Porreca, park board president, asked the audience to show a modicum of neighborliness, friendliness and trust towards the park district staff.
“We all want what’s best for our community,” Porreca said.
At last week’s session, one new possibility emerged: if the bond is approved Oak Parkers might have the opportunity to swim at the Park District of Forest Park’s outdoor swimming pool at resident rates after the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool is demolished. In exchange Forest Parkers would be able to use the new Oak Park indoor aquatic facility at resident rates.
Arnold said that the discussion with Jackie Iovinelli, executive director of the Park District of Forest Park, was preliminary and nothing has been decided.
“That’s just some conversation that we’ve had,” Arnold said during the information session.
Arnold said she reached out to Iovinelli after hearing concern from Oak Parkers that having only one outdoor pool in Oak Park would cause problems in the summer.
Iovinelli told the Forest Park Review, the Journal’s sister paper, that she and Arnold have a working relationship that includes discussing projects they are working on.
“I said, ‘If you guys are talking about an indoor aquatic facility, can we have a seat at your table?’” said Iovinelli. “We wouldn’t be being fiscally responsible by both building indoor pools, but our residents want one just as much as Oak Park.”
In very preliminary discussions, Iovinelli said that, if Oak Park gets an indoor pool to replace the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool, Oak Park residents would likely still want an outdoor pool option, like the Forest Park aquatic center.
“What I like about the opportunity is, instead of Forest Perk has only this for us and Oak Park has only this for us, why can’t we work together so that it can be for all?” Iovinelli said. “We’re just two communities trying to come together for the good of everybody.”
Ralph Wiser, an Oak Park resident, said that he found the information session informative.
“I don’t believe that they’re trying to ramrod anything through,” said Wiser.
Oak Park resident Nancy Hess said that she has yet to make up mind as to how she will vote on the referendum. She said she has concerns about the wording of the referendum and doesn’t want to lose the Ridgeland Common outdoor pool.
“Many people would like an (indoor) pool but if they’re going to tear up Ridgeland their answer would be different,” said Hess. “I’m leaning a little bit negative right now even though I love to swim. There’s a lot of financial fear in our country right now. I don’t know if now is the time to do another expensive Oak Park project even though people would like an indoor pool. I just always thought it would be here at the CRC.”
If the referendum is approved the park district is estimating that the owner of a $430,000 home would pay an additional $160 annually in property taxes for the next 20 years to pay off the bonds. The owner of a home worth $800,000 is projected to pay an additional $309 annually in property taxes.
Arnold said that Oak Park could manage with just one outdoor swimming pool.
“Having two outdoor swimming pools in a community of 54,000 is a luxury,” Arnold said.
Arnold said it makes sense to build an indoor aquatic facility at Ridgeland Common because the shell of the outdoor pool at Ridgeland Common is nearing the end of its useful life and is due to be replaced in about five years at a cost of approximately $10 million.
After Arnold made her presentation she answered questions, that were submitted on note cards, for more than an hour.
Jessica Mordacq, reporter for the Forest Park Review, contributed to this story.
