If there was ever a question of whether building an aquatic center in Santa Rosa County would be popular with the locals, a year-long feasibility study has laid to rest any doubts.
The study, conducted on the county’s behalf by Counsilman-Hunsaker, a nationally renowned swimming center design firm, also cast aside any misconception that such a project could be tackled without carrying a heavy price tag.
Commissioners, though, did not appear dissuaded by a $42.6 million price tag to build one pool for competitions and a second for recreation. At their Sept. 22 Committee of the Whole meeting a couple of board members even floated the idea of locating the competition pool in Gulf Breeze and the recreation pool in East Milton.
Building an Aquatic Center is an extremely popular idea
George Deines, a studio director specializing in aquatic facility studies, presented the findings of what was called an Aquatic Facility Study. He told the board that close to 90% of the over 5,000 who took a county survey spoke of a great need for accessible locations to swim and said that they would be likely to use a swimming pool if one were built.
“That’s the highest response rate of any survey the county has ever put forth and the concept was overwhelmingly popular,” Commissioner Colten Wright said.
Most surveyed said their primary reason for supporting a center was giving the public access to recreational swimming. Others said that young people have no place to practice for competition and many wanted a place for exercise, either to swim laps or do water aerobics.
The location of the aquatic center was mentioned as a concern. Several suggested a dual location solution similar to that proposed by Wright and Commission Chairman Kerry Smith.
Providing “multi-generational” facilities that could be utilized by young children and older adults was important to many of those surveyed, Deines said. Also suggested were offering a facility to benefit veteran health and well-being and having a location where swimming lessons and water safety could be taught.
Concerns were raised from some residents about the cost of building and maintaining an aquatic center, and some surveyed thought county funds could be better expended on infrastructure needs like roadwork.
What might Santa Rosa’s pools look like?
Counsilman-Hunsaker recommended locating two pools in separate locations. Survey results indicated that enthusiasm for an aquatic center was highest in Milton-Pace and Gulf Breeze-Navarre.
One conceptual plan called for a 50-meter by 25-yard competition pool capable of providing eight 50-meter lanes and 20, 25-yard short swim lanes. Depths of the pool would range from 4 to 13 feet.
Deines said that a pool of the size envisioned in a 40,000-square-foot space could be used to conduct competitions of up to 100 swimmers.
Commissioners who commented on the study suggested the competition pool be located in the Gulf Breeze-Midway area. Wright said that he likes the idea of enclosing the pool.
A combined recreation lap pool, which would be housed in the Milton area, would, as proposed, provide three 25-yard lap lanes, zero-depth beach entry with a children’s play feature and depths no deeper than 4 feet. Counsilman-Hunsaker’s drawings included amenities such as waterslide towers.
It was estimated it will take 7-and-a-half to 11-and-a-half acres to house a full aquatic center capable of providing parking.
Operational costs associated with an aquatic center
Counsilman-Hunsaker projected costs associated with operating an aquatic center to include personnel and operating expenses along with utility demand, aquatic programs and capital replacement funds at $1.77 million for the recreational pool and $980,000 for the eight-lane competition pool.
Potential revenue sources and benefits of an aquatic center
Deines said his team would project that in its first year of operation, Santa Rosa County could safely project to host between nine and 12 competition events.
This conservative number—some venues hold as many as 45—would bring a projected 28,000 visitors to the county who would spend 5,293 “room nights” in the area to generate bed tax revenues. It is anticipated each visitor could be relied upon to spend $146 on every day of their stay.
Deines said he could see the number of events increasing as staff grows more proficient at hosting events.
“As you progress, the swimming community will see you as an attractive facility and will want to bring more meets to you,” he said.
He said his research has found that 12 to 20 meets a year, one every two weeks or so, “is a good balance.”
“When you hold these type events it takes the facility offline for a time,” he said. “Twelve to 20 is enough to help the local swim community and the local economy as well.”
Wright said that he sees opening an aquatic center as a way for Santa Rosa County to enter the sports tourism market, but one that doesn’t put it in direct competition with neighboring counties, which provide venues for sports like softball and baseball.
“There is a noticeable void in competitive swimming,” he said.
Other revenue streams suggested within the study include admission and membership fees, meet, club and high school team rental fees and costs associated with wellness/fitness programs.
Swimming lessons were also suggested as a revenue source. At a public forum to discuss the aquatic center held last year, a pair of swim instructors reported that group classes stay full and an estimated 800 kids have passed through programs in the last six years.
It was suggested that pools could also be utilized to train lifeguards and scuba divers.
Potential sources of outside funding
Also at the 2024 public forum, Michelle Caldwell, representing the Center for Strategic Military Excellence, told those hosting the event that she had been working with the Department of Veterans Affairs to secure $1 million to assist in building a pool in Santa Rosa County.
Water makes everyone equal, Caldwell told the group of engineers assembled to hear stakeholder input. The DVA realizes the therapeutic value of swimming and water activity and believes an investment in an aquatic center in an area with so many military members and families is a shrewd one.
Commission Chairman Kerry Smith said that as a board member with the Northwest Florida Council on Aging he believes that it is possible the county could get financial support for an aquatic center from that group as well.
Wright said TDC funds could also possibly be put toward the aquatic center. He suggested that certainly the costs of providing lifeguards could be funded with bed tax dollars and said that lifeguards who now work seasonally at Navarre Beach could potentially maintain full time employment.
“A project like this does give us a lot of flexibility,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Santa Rosa floats building two public pools for around $42.6M
Reporting by Tom McLaughlin, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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