Drake Springs Outdoor Pool

Sioux Falls swimming pool has first ever ‘Sour Grapes’ charge

l3wis December 17, 2009 6Comments

Imagine that, fees went up 100% from last year at the new Drake Springs pool;

Also noted in the audit is the overcharge for daily passes to the Drake Springs Aquatic Center. Parks and Rec charged $2 for the child daily admission fee instead of $1 as it was at the old Drake Springs Pool. City ordinance allows $2 to be charged only at Laurel Oaks Aquatic Center and Terrace Aquatic Center.

This error added up to approximately $15,550 of extra revenue, according to the audit.

Hermanson said it wasn’t really an overcharge since Drake Springs now is an aquatic center, and the public was notified that the price was $2.

“It’s just one of those housekeeping duties that we need to change,” she said.

Because there is a difference between Swimming Pools and Aquatic centers. One of them is place where you can swim and cool off in the hot summer heat, and the other one is a place where you can swim and cool off in the hot summer heat.

Housekeeping my ass.

First off, rumor has it that you transferred $1 million to another park and shortchanged the new Drake Springs pool, then you build the swimming pool too small, then you raise rates 100% in a low income neighborhood. Enough sour grapes already. The voters said they did not want an indoor pool at Nelson Park. Get over it already!

Drake Springs pool was planned (screwed up) by the city, not Stehly

l3wis August 29, 2009 1Comments

There has been a lot of poppycock being spread around about the new outdoor pool at Drake Springs. Many have been complaining that the pool is too small for swimming, I agree. But as someone who has been following this very closely I can tell you this, the city planned the pool, Stehly did not. The only thing her ballot initiative did was setup the funding for the outdoor pool (The city COULD spend UP TO $4.7 million). This letter to the editor goes into some details about it;

Please know that many of us did all that was possible when this facility was planned to plead the case for a design that would allow exercise so vital to the health of the community as it fights the ills that accompany sedentary life.

I remember attending one of the community meetings where designers were present sketching out preliminary designs. I also remember the pool design being a lot larger. (I should have taken pictures).

So what happened? There are two theories floating around out there;

1) Sour grapes on behalf of the indoor pool advocates convinced the parks board to scale back the project. I am not sure if the sour grapes existed, but it is no doubt the project was scaled back.

2) Since the petition said that the city could spend UP TO $4.7 million, it did not specify that they could spend less then that. Which is what people think happened. In fact a city councilor mentioned that he thinks some of the pool budget was thrown at Harmadon Park and that is why the pool had to be scaled back. These are rumors of course, because getting this information out of the budget office is next to impossible. It is estimated that about only $3.2 million was spent on Drake Springs.

The point is this, stop blaming Stehly for the bad design.

Imagine that, kids like swimming outdoors!

l3wis June 29, 2009 5Comments

The Drake Springs pool is a huge success while saving the city millions in building and subsidy costs;

Since the facility opened May 29, more than 23,000 people have visited. That’s despite it being closed six full days and one half-day because of inclement weather.

You mean the kids showed up? You are kidding me. I thought they would be upset about not having an indoor pool, according to our very insightful city leaders.

But it doesn’t stop Vernon Brown from eating sour grapes;

“With an indoor pool, there would have been opportunities for children to be swimming on those cold, rainy days,” said Vernon Brown, a City Council member who supported an indoor pool.

You are right Vernon. And kids have over 8 indoor private pools to pick from at various fitness centers. Get over it already.