Given the likely purchase of the existing library as a recreation/teen center, what do you think the city’s plans should be for a bigger, more comprehensive, recreational facility in the town center? Given that, depending on its size, a pool could run the cost anywhere between $20 and $45 million, do you think a pool is an important part of any future plans?

Position 7

Jack Barry

After years of effort, the council is smiling about its plan for a recreation/teen center, which it plans to operate in the original library building in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club.

Yet to be determined is how to pay the maintenance and operation costs for the city’s side of the operation — a key issue that should have been determined before the purchase was approved.

Would it be nice to have even more facilities in the Town Center? A pool? Of course! We’re building an exciting and desirable family-friendly city.

But with a city budget deficit forecast by 2014, let’s don’t push our shipping cart too far out in front of our fiscal horses.

Let’s identify the revenue to pay for step number 1, meet that need, and then focus forward on both the priorities and revenue sources for a second phase.

Tom Odell

The Council’s decision last week to move forward with the purchase of the old library for a Recreation Center is long overdue. It has been needed since before my son and daughter entered Eastlake. They graduated in 1996 and 2000!

However, this is an imperfect facility and interim step that begs a better long-term solution.

An ideal eventual location would be in the Town Center where the city could begin by constructing an aquatic center with enough adjacent land reserved to develop a larger community center for all – teens, families, young adults, seniors – which could be used for many purposes including recreation, Running Start, and adult education.

The old library is available now and, while needing modification, is a step in the right direction.

Long run the city needs a much larger facility specifically constructed as a community center with pool – one capable of better serving all of its residents.

Position 5

Don Gerend

A city with one third of its population under age 18, and with so many others very health conscious, should have a comprehensive recreational center for its citizens.

An aquatic facility for families and competitive swimming is high on the list of desires of our citizens, and we hear from so many families about how desirable it would be to have indoor soccer in Sammamish.

Other Puget Sound cities have built great centers; Federal Way has a beautiful community center with pools, gymnasiums, senior facilities and a broad spectrum of other activity centers. Yes, it cost some $21 million, but I believe that a similar facility is achievable in Sammamish while retaining our conservative financial structure.

I also believe that the community center should be built within the Town Center, close to the high schools.

It can be one of the great gathering places within this young city.

Michael Rutt

As an affluent community with a population of over 40,000 we should expect an abundance of recreational and civic facilities within our Town Center, which is currently a huge void in the center of our city.

In the meantime, purchasing the old library does fill the immediate need for a teen center. A senior center, a swimming pool, and a performing arts center are all on the list of needs when polling citizens.

Where to get the money to fund such projects will be a major issue, but should not be used as a deterrent.

I propose that a portion of retail sales tax revenues collected by the city from businesses within the future Town Center be earmarked for financing civic projects within Town Center.

Position 3

John Curley

Tough question. Hard for me to remain unbiased because I am such a nut when it comes to swimming.

Heck, I swam from Bainbridge Island to Alki a couple of years ago for a fundraiser.

It was 4 miles in 51 degree water.

So when someone mentions 50 heated meters right here in Sammamish, that would be heaven.

Perhaps we could follow the lead of the little town of Whitefish, Mont. They had been trying for 30 some years to build a pool.

Finally a citizen group formed a non profit 501c3.

They got 10 percent of the cash needed from the government and the rest they raised themselves.

Four years later they opened “WAVE,” a 54,000 square foot pool and rec center for $7.2 million. Not bad for a population of just 5,800 people.

Those hardy Montana folks didn’t wait around for the government to build the whole thing.

They did it on their own. So could we.

Tom Vance

Building a recreation center/aquatic center would be a worthy goal of the new council.

Such a center, including one or two pools, indoor track and soccer, and other recreational facilities, was built recently in the King County area for around $21 million. Realistically, a cost of $25 to $35 million for a recreation center at the Town Center seems likely.

Building the new recreation center will present two challenges: the capital costs of acquiring land and building the facility, and creating cash flows to support annual maintenance.

Transfer of Development Rights could be used to acquire land. And some combination of bonding and other more creative financing could be used to build the project while minimizing taxes and securing annual maintenance.

Already, some discussions have taken place about opportunities available to us for making a recreation center happen. We should continue those discussions in 2010.

Position 1

John James

My 10-year-old son, Colin, wrote the following letter to the city council regarding a community pool… “I was wondering why you haven’t made a pool in Sammamish? Here are three reasons for a pool:

1. On summer days, many people want to go to a pool, but now they have to drive to Issaquah, Redmond or Bellevue.

2. A pool is a place to have fun: diving board, a slide, friends to play with or have a party. You could make a little snack shack there with soda, nachos, hotdogs, ice cream, salads, pizza, and hamburgers. 3. It could be a gathering place, since over the summer people can come to the pool. It could provide jobs for life guards, pool attendants, cooks and people to work the concession stand.”

It would also allow schools/swim teams a place to practice. Most Sammamish citizens want a pool at a lower cost.

Erica Tiliacos

The old library’s major problem is access, while insufficient parking at the Commons and new library is another. Meetings in City Hall are behind blinds; it’s too bright. City business requires office space with sufficient parking.

All the while, the civic plaza is used for public gatherings and the farmer’s market; the lobby invites art exhibits, the skate park is nearby.

A possibility is converting City Hall into the Community Center and the old library into the maintenance facility. Allocated funds for the maintenance facility could be used to construct an office building for city government.

Hundreds of daily vehicle trips would disappear from the Inglewood/228th intersection. The Commons would have public parking; we would have a center for teens, seniors, and all.

For a seasonal or year-round pool, construction and operating costs would need to be considered.

Living within our means requires a budget conforming to that reality.