Visalia City Council Explores Funding for New $33 Million Aquatic Center

VISALIA, CA — The Visalia City Council is moving forward with plans to study the construction of a new city aquatic center. During a Jan. 20 meeting, the council voted 3-2 to task city staff with researching funding options and project timelines for the proposal.

Council Member Emmanuel Hernandez Soto made the motion to move forward, and Liz Wynn seconded it. As part of this effort, the council approved hiring a consultant to determine if a sales tax measure on the November ballot is a practical way to pay for the project.

According to the Visalia Times-Delta, the facility is estimated to cost between $31 million and $33 million. Beyond the initial building costs, city officials expect annual maintenance for the center to cost approximately $1 million.

Council members discussed how a potential sales tax increase could address several city needs. Suggestions for the tax included funding the aquatic center, the final phase of the Civic Center, and a $10 million shortfall in parks and recreation funding. However, the council has not yet created a final list of projects for the tax measure.

Dennis Berkshire, president of the Aquatic Design Group, presented several different layouts for the facility. City officials have expressed a preference for a design that features both a 50-meter swimming pool and a large recreation pool.

To manage the costs, Council Member Steve Nelsen suggested building the center in stages. He recommended constructing the recreation pool first, as it could generate enough income to help cover the running costs of the 50-meter pool.

The council and Mayor Brett Taylor also discussed several other ways to bring in money for the project, including: