Dunedin considers $13.6M plans for aquatic center

Dunedin commissioners are tussling over different funding and programming options for a $13.6 million revamp of the Highlander Park Aquatic Complex.

During a commission work session earlier this month, the parks and recreation team and consultants presented renderings of the master plan that would replace the aging 45-year-old center, showing images of children playing in a splash pad, people tubing down a lazy river and swimmers competing side-by-side in a lap pool. 

Rendering of the Highlander Pool.  

A detailed financing plan will be presented by the finance department at the April 4 city council meeting. 

“We have been working long and hard on this master plan, originally looking at it in 2009, but then we had a recession,” Parks and Recreation Director Vince Gizzi said, listing other obstacles extending the study’s timeline until the city was able to progress forward on the plans in 2021. 

The commission previously approved a $73,562 bid to the principal architect firm Borrelli and Partners Inc. The group is working with Martin Aquatic Design and Engineering, which is serving as the consultant. 

The scope of the work thus far has included a site analysis and planning sessions to understand current and future facility operations, determine programming needs, the desired amenities and the complex’s aesthetics. The amenities proposed include a lazy river, an activity pool, slides, shade structures, a heated therapy pool, lockers and conference rooms. 

“When you enter the facility, the features you see are designed for someone who doesn’t know how to swim and can use the splash pad and then zero-entry pool. The design progresses to include a deeper area pool area for those starting to learn how to swim,” said Jorge Borrelli, the consultant on the project, describing the project as a “multigenerational destination” for the entire community. 

A site plan of the Highlander Pool.  

On the north side, there will be a 25-meter-by-25-yard pool with five lanes and diving boards for advanced swimmers and racing competitions. 

The desired amenities, including shade structures and a zero-entry pool, were based on two community surveys conducted in 2019 and 2021.

According to city documents, the city staff conducted site visits to a YMCA and multiple recently constructed recreational facilities in the county to learn more about the design, operations and components the new aquatic center could feature. 

The total project cost for Phase 1, including $1 million for a lazy river, totals over $13,624,000; however, the commissioners were presented with other options that would cut costs. 

Other options entail eliminating the lazy river and/or slides as well as an option to eliminate the lazy river, slides and activity pool, which would slash the total cost to $9.3 million. 

The consultant team expects the city to vote on a clear programming and phasing plan at the April meeting. A timeline shows construction would commence in 2025. 

Despite the significant costs related to the project, with or without certain amenities, commissioner Robert Walker said an overhaul of the existing center cannot be ignored as “no amount of duct tape is going to keep that pool together.” 

He added that there are limited recreational assets in the community for swimmers, and the city would need to emphasize the multigenerational benefit of the project in shaping future swimmers. 

Dunedin Mayor Julie Ward Bujalsk also noted the retooled center should primarily benefit the taxpayers. The consultant responded, explaining there will be discounted rates for residents.