The City of Tampa is holding a public meeting on the final design and funding of Roy Jenkins Pool on Davis Islands.
The
93-year-old pool located at 154 Columbia Dr. was closed in 2008 in compliance with federal drown-prevention laws for public pools and is slated to reopen donning a $1.5 million facelift -- but only if Davis Islands residents vote to use $500,000 of the
Davis Islands Capital Improvement Fund to move the project forward. The
City of Tampa has budgeted $1 million for pool improvements.
In June, information from a $50,000
Davis Islands Recreational Area and Roy Jenkins Pool Study was released, targeting areas of demand for the pool. The study documented existing conditions and evaluated the requirements to meet
Department of Health codes.
“This study was step one and laid the groundwork for future improvements,” says Laurie Potier-Brown, project manager for the
City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department. “Residents were given an opportunity to comment on study concepts and make recommendations so their voices could be heard before decisions for project improvements were made.”
Despite this effort, some residents are still in disagreement with
proposed plans to make the pool shallower.
According to a letter from Denise Cassedy, president of the
Davis Islands Civic Association, the renovation would hinder the pool's use, eliminating popular pool activities such as swimming and diving lessons, lifesaving and scuba diving lessons, swim meets, synchronized swimming and deep water aerobic classes.
A vote to move forward with the Roy Jenkins renovation project will be taken and recorded during the public meeting on March 29th at 6 p.m. at the
Davis Islands Garden Club at 81 Columbia Drive. Jennifer Fadal of the Save Roy Jenkins Pool Committee will oversee the voting. Residents are encouraged to attend.
Writer:
Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Laurie Potier-Brown,
City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department
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