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Amphitheater?

Posted February 24, 2015 10:00 pm

By Staff Report The Herald Tribune

CHESTER -- The closed Chester Municipal Pool took a step closer to possibly having its fate determined on Feb. 24.

The Chester Pool Committee voted to send a recommendation to the Chester City Council to proceed further with examining a conversion of the facility into an amphitheater. The CPC will submit a report of its findings to the city council prior to its March 16 session in the hope of getting an engineer's estimate of the cost.

An inspection report from Burbach Aquatics in September 2014 estimated repairing the facility for use as a pool at a little more than $5.7 million.

"Almost 99 percent of the suggestions were for an amphitheater," said CPC member Gwendy Garner, who is chairwoman of the "Old Pool" subcommittee. "The possibilities are endless for what this could mean to the community."

Built from 1939 to 41 by the Work Projects Administration (WPA) at a cost of $50,000, the pool was closed in June 2014 due to major water leakage. The 770-square-foot, 540-person capacity pool was not built to the specifications delineated in original blueprints dated December 1, 1938.

Those blueprints did not include a diving hopper and called for a circular pool instead of the current seashell-shaped design.

And that design is what the "Old Pool" subcommittee thinks could result in a multitude of possibilities as an amphitheater.

"If this is marketed right, this could work," said CPC member Pete Spitler. "Think what it could mean to the Chester Grade School and Chester High School drama and music programs. Shakespeare in the Park; a summer concert series; a possible home for the Municipal Band, there are a lot of potential options."

The subcommittee, which met an hour prior to the full CPC meeting, submitted a rough diagram to the full CPC that shows the basic idea of an amphitheater conversion.

The 10-foot, square diving hopper would be partially filled in to form a stage on the north side of the facility, adjacent to the poolhouse. The shallow end would be used for VIP seating.

"Basically, my definition of VIP seating is anybody willing to pay a few extra bucks for an up-front view," Spitler said.

In the subcommittee's presentation, the tower at mid-pool would remain, but Chester Recreation Director Patti Carter, who is a CPC member, said the tower is crumbling and may not survive a refurbishment attempt.

Garner also mentioned that the pool has been nominated to be on the National Register of Historic Places, but has not yet been approved.

"It has been identified as a location to be on the list," Garner said. "We would have to maintain the historical integrity of the property, which we are doing."

Spitler also brought up an idea of "crowdfunding" the conversion through an account on the fundraising website GoFundMe.com.

The CPC also heard a report from the "New Pool" subcommittee, which also met prior to the full meeting.

Carter presented a concept drawing from 2005 showing a proposed new facility. Some of the options presented in the drawing, like a lazy river, would be omitted in a new development due to cost.

The new facility could consist of six competition lanes, a zero-depth entry pool and some basic slides.

The discussion then went to possible locations.

"Some people brought up to us the area around Chester Skateland, which the city doesn't own, or at the Cohen Complex," Carter said.

The baseball field at Cole Park was mentioned as a location, with CPC Co-Chairman Donnie Clark asking if it would require special drainage.

"We'll hopefully have something concrete to present to you," Carter said to Clark. "It is a slow process."

Carter said the next step would be to take photos of potential locations of a new pool for future analysis and discussion.

During public comment, Bruce Williamson asked if the design of the new pool is what the swim teams want.

"I didn't want the swim teams to settle for this if it isn't something they want," he said.

"Six lanes is pretty typical for a meet," said CPC member Farrah Runge.

Also during public comment, Steve Wallace advised the committee members to not give up on grant potential, despite the uncertainty of the state budget.

On Jan. 3, then-Gov. Pat Quinn announced that $26 million would be awarded to 75 park projects across the state.

Nine days later, Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an executive order that freezed a variety of spending, including park grants.

Wallace brought budget documents to the meeting that appeared to show a reappropriation of more than $76.2 million in Rauner's budget to funding Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grants.

OSLAD grants help local governments acquire or develop land for public parks and open space. They have a $400,000 cap for development/renovation projects and a $750,000 cap for acquisition projects.

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