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Cumming aquatic center lands in hot water
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CUMMING – The chosen site for an aquatic center in Forsyth County may not hold water after incuring the wrath of state environmentalists.
Cumming awaits word from the State Environmental Protectin Division on a request for a stream buffer variance for a stream it didn’t know was there.
The EPD says there is an intermittent stream on the property the city has bulldozed.
EPD will take public comment on the variance request for another week, then it will either grant the variance or withhold it.
If it is thumbs down on the the Pilgrim Mill Road, the city will need to find a new site.
The city already had to pay the EPD $40,000 for violations of water quality rules including buffer encroachment and improper erosion controls (See story, Page 4).
Plans for the full aquatic center include two pools inside and a kiddie play pool plus a lazy rivers spray and mushroom area outside. The city of Cumming plans to construct the center using SPLOST (special local option sales tax) funds it has designated, and a $10 million contribution from the county.
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Assistant City Administrator Steve Bennett said one of the pools will be an Olympic-sized 50-meter competition pool. The other will have a therapeutic pool area tied in with a regular pool for swim lessons.
Construction of the building is anticipated to cost between $12 million and $14 million.
“We put some parts out to bid. None of the bids have been awarded. [We’re] still seeking approval of a variance from EPD on the side,” he said.
The city had a portion of the funds from the county’s previous SPLOST designated for the aquatic center and has already collected $4.8 million.
Forsyth County agreed to be a partner, committing $10 million from a $100 million of 2008 Green Space SPLOST money to the aquatic center.
Since the city’s SPLOST funds have already been collected, declining sales tax revenues this year will have no affect on its contribution to the budget.
“The only money we’re getting from the county on this [current] SPLOST is earmarked for a parking deck,” Bennett said.
“You might want to wait before checking on swimming lessons at the aquatic center. Construction will take time. We’re hoping that we can get all the approvals to build by mid-December and hopefully we can start moving dirt next spring sometime.”
Once construction starts, it will take around 18 months to complete.
“Like anything the city ever builds, it’s a county facility,” he said.
The aquatic center will be open to city and county resident alike. Operating costs will be covered by user fees.
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