MADISON, Alabama - The stage is set for designing a new indoor pool and recreation campus after the City Council approved on Monday an agreement with Madison City Schools.
The city now has 180 days to design, determine costs and approve funding for the pool that will be located on Celtic Drive on school district property. The agreement, which the school board approved last week, does not commit either party to construct the pool.
The city will also work on designs for the multi-sport recreation complex that would be located next to the pool, but there is no deadline for having those plans completed in 180 days.
District 2 Councilman Steve Smith said it only makes sense to pursue both projects simultaneously and collaboration would be an "economic driver" as sports tourism.
"The design will show us the costs of both facilities. Then we can decide do we this one, this one, or both of them," he said.
Smith cited findings from KPS Group, an independent sports research firm, that said the city should make a new community recreation facility a priority. The indoor rec center would include multiple basketball and volleyball courts, meeting rooms and possibly a food court in the central area, Smith said.
The natatorium is expected to cost $6 million, and the school board committed $3 million in the agreement. The competition pool will be a minimum of 25 yards and include a 1-meter diving capability so the Bob Jones and James Clemens high schools can use it for swimming and diving meets.
A separate, $7-million indoor recreation facility with a variety of outdoor sports fields. The school district will assist in planning stages and the agreement spells out sharing of the parking lot, property and concessions.
During the high school swim season, the school board will have first priority for scheduling use of the pool for practice and competition. During school-sponsored events, the school board or a school booster club can sell merchandise, but the city reserves the rights to all concessions.
Laurie Messer, a parent of a swimmer for James Clemens, thanked the council for filling a longtime need. She said her son has practice from 3:15 to 7:30 p.m. because space is limited with both high schools, each with 25 swimmers, sharing eight lanes at Dublin Park.
She encouraged the council to not only seek a design that supports both swim teams, but also fills community needs and be capable of generating revenue.
Wyatt Davis, 17, a Boy Scout and student at James Clemens, complained that Madison baseball fields are becoming "unplayable" and risk for injury because they get torn up by local soccer leagues. In addition, there isn't field space to allow for a 14-and-older fall baseball team, so players join teams in Huntsville and as far as Cullman.
Mayor Troy Trulock answered Davis, saying soccer is the fastest-growing and most popular youth sport in Madison and using the baseball fields has been a temporary solution. The new campus should provide enough fields to return the baseball fields to baseball-only, he said.
In August, the council entered into a memorandum of agreement with Nashville-based Fieldhouse LLC to partner with the city on promoting the recreation campus to host sports competition that draw out-of-town teams. The concept for the recreation complex also calls for hotels and restaurants on adjacent property.