Plans for Crystal Lake pool to be on display Tuesday
URBANA — Members of the public can view plans for a new $6.1 million Crystal Lake Park aquatic center from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Anita Purves Nature Center, 1505 N. Broadway Ave., U.
But it's beyond the time to suggest changes to the project's plan; they've already been approved by the Urbana park board.
"It's too late to change anything. More than anything it's an opportunity to know what's going on and what it's going to look like," said Vicki Mayes, the executive director of the Urbana Park District. "More than anything, people may have questions about what was included, what does it look like. They'll have a chance to talk to a staff person and learn more in detail about it."
The open house will be held at the same time as the park board's regular January meeting, also at the Anita Purves center. The board normally meets at 7 p.m. but it moved the meeting to 5:30 p.m. to accommodate people who wanted to attend the Illinois-Ohio State basketball game at 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Mayes said the park district staff also plans to meet with residents of the North Broadway Avenue neighborhood later this month "so that they have any questions answered that are lingering, and also to keep the energy and interest up for the pool."
Demolition of the old Crystal Lake Pool, which was closed in August 2008, is expected to begin this spring, Mayes said. The park district hopes to award general contracts for the new pool in May, with construction to begin in May or June.
The new aquatic center is expected to open in May 2013.
It will feature an eight-lane, 25-meter lap pool, a smaller plunge pool with a water slide and a climbing wall, and a large leisure pool with a play structure and a wet deck. If extra funds become available, there would be a fourth "interactive water feature," an enclosed water slide and improvements and expansion to the aquatic center's parking lot.
Park officials hope to hear later this month whether they will receive a $400,000 state grant to help pay for additions to the project.
They already have received more than $30,000 in private gifts for the aquatic center.
"Just recently we've received a couple of very nice, very small donations, the kind that touch your heart," Mayes said. "They're in the neighborhood of $20 or $25, but they come with a pleasant story or a nice memory, so that's very touching and nice."
The plans for the aquatic center also can be viewed at the Phillips Recreation Center, 505 W. Stoughton St.; the Brookens Gymnasium, 1776 E. Washington St.; the Urbana Indoor Aquatic Center, 102 E. Michigan Ave.; and the Anita Purves center. They can also be viewed online at http://www.urbanaparks.org/facilities/31.html.
there was nothing wrong with the old pool, it served the needs of the community.
why does urbana need an eysore/waterslide/carnival attraction in one of the parks? to entertain kids for a few months?? what a waste of money
and why do they charge a fee for the dog park? they do very little maintenance, less that in any of the other parks, but $5 a visit and/or $40 a year is more than anyone else pays to use any of the parks but there are no flowers, no planting of new trees, very little landscaping.
they mostly just empty the trash and put down some wood mulch onec a year.
its a decent dog park, but there is no need to charge people to use it, unless they start charging admession for ALL of the C-U parks.
There was something wrong with the old pool. It was unsafe. I recall some type of electrical grounding issue. Are you trying to say that they just should have rebuilt it as it was? If so, the days of a rectangular tub filled with water are gone. Now everyone expects zero entry (which is quite nice for the kiddos, by the way) and water features. Yes, I'll agree with you that pools are expensive.
I thought they charged a fee to use the dog park because of some type of insurance agreement, or to keep people from bringing their unregistered giant pitbulls that attack other dogs. I can't remember the exact reason, but I do recall that at one point, there was a reason for the fee.
The old pool had some major issues with electrical that would be very expensive and hard to repair. When parts get as old as this pool was, it gets very hard to get a hold of parts. The lay-out of the new pool was done with lots of input, and is actually tastefully done with the thought of who used the pool. A separate lap pool for the lap swimmers from the zero depth play pool is a big plus. The spray areas are a fun way for children to cool off and are not unattractive. I feel UPD did this design in a very responsible manner. People were not going to the square in the ground, but they will likely go to this. Especially since they will allow people to bring their own coolers in, something Sholem does not allow making it family friendly.
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