Did I just read the Pool Improvements actually cost 14 Million?

Yes, you read that.  Unfortunately, that is completely false and in our minds a possible attempt to exaggerate the price tag.  The submitted amount to the Minnesota Department of Education to add a diving well to Kenwood and to put a diving well and 8-lane pool at Century was 9.6 million dollars.  We actually take issue with this amount as well in that the current economic climate we are seeing bids coming in at 10-20% lower than this time a year ago.  In addition, Wold Architects have a 10% percent contingency built into the submitted amount for overruns.  Prior Lake built a quality 8 lane pool and diving well for 4.2 million over 2 years ago when bids were much higher (Wold built that as well).  We would like modern facilties which provide similar competitive, curriculum and community equity as our fellow basketball, baseball, softball, hockey and football couterparts participate with - but not with "gold plated coliseums" to the swimming gods!

You mean Lakeville South High School doesn't have a pool?

Yes. In ISD 194, as with many other districts, the pools that the high schools use are located in the middle schools. One reason for this is that physical education is required for all three years in middle school, whereas it is not required throughout high school. That said, the swim teams from both LNHS and LSHS practice together in the KTMS pool because a separate pool facility was not built at Century Middle School to accomodate the new high school, LSHS.

Why do you need a pool at Century when you have a second pool at McGuire Middle School?

The pool at MMS is a shallow-depth pool that does not have a deep end to accomodate the regulation dive starts from starting blocks. The pool is too old to renovate effectively to allow for starting blocks.

What do the divers need a new pool for?

Currently, MMS is the only school that has a diving well. The well has only one board that is extremely old. Both the LNHS and the LSHS diving teams use this single board for both diving practice and competition. Unlike other schools in the conference, the diving competition at home meets is held separately from the swimming competition because the swim meet is held at KTMS and the diving meet is held at MMS. If a competition pool were built at CMS with a diving well, then one of the school meets would be acommodated. The best solution is to also add a diving well to KTMS so each school has a complete competition pool.

How can you build a diving well at KTMS?

KTMS was planned with the prospect of a future diving well. KTMS has the space and the plans for it.

Why was the pool not built at Century?

The dollar amount for the bond for the new elementary school that was approved in 1997 (the same question with the bond for the new junior high) was based on a new elementary school being built on the land that the district owned adjacent to KTMS. After the bond was approved but before the elementary school was built, it was brought to the board's attention that the proposed site was on a conservation easement and could not be used for the building. The board had to scramble to find a new location and then purchase the new land. The cost of the land was not included in the amount for the bond, but the elementary school needed to be built. The board and others decided that it could use the money allocated to the pool in Century (which at the time was the new junior high). No one ever suspected that the board would not return this money to be used for its original purpose.

Why are you asking for a pool now in this economic climate?

Three reasons. First, we aren't just asking for it now. It was needed 12 years ago. We will continue to ask for it until it is built. Second, the bidding climate is the best it has been in years. The board has acknowledged this and is trying to complete two years' worth of projects in one year to take advantage of the favorable bidding climate. Except when it comes to the pool. Third, interest rates are low. Now is the best time to invest in this project.

I read in a news article that the cost of a new pool was $14 million dollars! Are you kidding me? Is it lined with gold leaf?

Someone is kidding you and no, it won't be lined with gold leaf. We could build three pools for $14 million. The competition pool and diving well at Hidden Oaks Middle School in Prior Lake was built for $4.2 million in 2007. With the bidding climate as good as it is now, we should be able to build a competition pool and diving well for a similar price. The cost for a new diving well added to KTMS has been estimated at $2 million. We think this amount is high. The amount that the school board submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) for the lease levy to fund both the competition pool and diving well at Century and the new diving well at KTMS was $9.6 million. At no time to date, other than in a couple of recent news articles, has the amount of $14 million ever been suggested. Furthermore, we are residents of Lakeville, too. We want a pool that is built right the first time, because that is the most cost-effective way to build, but we most certainly don't want any frivolous expeditures.

Why doesn't the swim community just pay for the new pool? I heard that the hockey players paid for the new ice arenas.

The swimming community has prepared several documents to use for fund-raising efforts. We'd be delighted to be at a point where we can raise money for the pool and amenities such as timing boards and lane lines. We will not be able to raise $9 million. The hockey players did not pay for all of the arenas.

The school district’s need for a hockey arena currently comes from approximately 100 students who participate on a school hockey teams. The school district uses ice rinks for approximately three months each year. Hockey and other sports that use ice rinks are not in the physical education curriculum. The school district and the city resolved the issue by partnering to build the Hasse ice arena by McGuire Middle School. The school district owned four acres and the city owned eight acres to create the 12 acre site.  The rink was built with one sheet of ice but was built to accommodate additional sheets as funds become available. The school district will pay $250,000 per year for twenty years to fund the arena, with a total contribution of approximately $4,500,000. These funds came from the existing school district budget and were not presented to the voters for approval. The Lakeville Hockey Association also will be a partner in the plan. It will pay the $90,000 per year debt obligation for the current Ames Arena.

I heard that Century takes a field trip to a water park for its swimming curriculum. Is that true?

We don't know. We do know that Century does not include swimming in its curriculum because it doesn't have a pool. Drowing is a leading cause of death among youth. Our city and our state are full of lakes. Century students should be able to have swimming in their curriculum. 

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