RealCrozetVA

Update 04 January 2008: Turns out the County is opting to recommend against funding the Crozet request.

From Albemarle County’s site regarding the January 7 meeting; if you live in Crozet, reading this proposal submitted by Crozet Park (PDF) would be a good idea.

Crozet Park (Attachment E)

The Crozet Park request is for a $350,000 contribution to be used for a 960 square foot addition to the existing pool building, HVAC equipment and a 14,170 square foot air supported dome over the existing swimming pool. The County contribution is 66% of the estimated $525,000 project. Crozet Park will begin a fund raising campaign to secure the remaining $175,000 if the County agrees to fund this proposal. The existing pool is an 8-lane, 25-meter pool with an additional zero depth beach entry. The anticipated lifetime of the structure is 15 to 20 years. The programming and operations of the facility will be provided through a lease arrangement with the YMCA. A letter of intent from the YMCA included with the Crozet Park proposal indicated their interest in entering into a long-term collaborative agreement “as soon as is practical” (Attachment F). The high school swim teams will have access to the pool for practice at a standard cost of $15 – $20 per lane hour. Crozet Park anticipates that the bubbled facility would be available for the start of the high school swim season in November of 2009.

Favorable Factors:

·         Most attractive proposal to Western Albemarle swim team.

·         Conveniently located to serve western part of County with potential non competitive swimming programs.

·         Least expensive request of 3 proposals.

·         Potential long-term partnership with YMCA.

·         Very committed Park Board has sustained outdoor pool annual operations without County assistance.

Concerns:

• Commitment from the YMCA needs to mirror partnership responsibilities in Crozet Park request.
• No history of working partnership with the YMCA.
• Park financial records indicate total expenditures over revenues for the last 5 years to be $77,000.
• Outdoor pool operation has shown a total deficit of $71,000 for the last 5 years.
• Air structure is the least efficient pool covering and given financial performance of the existing park operations, unknown future economic conditions and lack of market information, seems to be a risky investment for the County, YMCA and the Park Board at this time.
• If YMCA/Crozet Park partnership fails, County could become default owner and operator of the bubble.
• Least attractive proposal to Albemarle and Monticello swim teams.

BUDGET IMPACT:

The budget impacts for all proposals are discussed above. The only proposal being recommended for consideration at this time is the Star proposal which would have a budget impact of $100,000 per year for 5 years.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Committee has made the following recommendation to the CIP oversight committee:

1. The County’s commitment to the YMCA should remain at $2,030,000 with no additional funding provided for the competitive pool in the final adopted 5-year plan.
2. Funding for a more efficient Crozet Park pool enclosure system should be included in the out years of the CIP.
3. Consideration should be given to funding the Star request at $100,000 per year over a 5-year period with the first $100,000 being provided from the existing Parks and Recreation capital budget in the spring of 2009, if the Star request is included in the final adopted 5-year CIP. Funding would be conditioned upon the execution of an agreement to assure the public and school use of the facilities as proposed.