The results of a pool feasibility study that has been looking at the possibility of a new aquatic center or upgrades to Julius Boehm Pool were released to the public at the Nov. 25 City Council meeting.

Ken Ballard of Ballard King & Associates, a member of the committee conducting the feasibility study, began the presentation by sharing details of the process, which has been underway since September, and how committee members gleaned their facts and input.

He said some of the key factors were to see what the market was like for swimming in Issaquah, and to gather demographics on people living in the pool’s service area, which encompasses people within the city limits, and those living in the Issaquah School District.

The study looked at population density, median age of residents, average household size and average household income, among others.

And, it examined what other types of aquatic facilities were located throughout the rest of the Eastside.

All of these factors were used to determine what type of facility would be most appropriate for Issaquah, Ballard said.

“It gave us the background information that helped us move in a different phase,” he said. “And that was understanding what the community really wants as related to aquatic needs, and how best to go about meeting those.”

The committee invited community members to share their thoughts through public meetings and surveys to determine what kind of general needs and desires there were, he said.

The majority of this input came through a telephone survey of about 300 people in the city of Issaquah, conducted in July and August. Ballard said the survey focused on questions such as: what facility are you currently using for swimming, what are the needs you have for aquatic amenities, and what is your willingness to pay for them?

Much of the use centered on swimming lessons, recreational swimming, lap swimming and water exercise, the survey found.

From there, Ballard said, they were able to develop a series of options to consider, from minor improvements to the existing pool, to building a new, off-site aquatic facility, to doing both.

Jim Kalvelage of Opsis Architecture, another member of the committee, shared various options with council members, including what sort of conclusions had been drawn from them.

Consultants identified two of six options for a new pool and aquatic center, and presented those to the council. They are similar in terms of amenities provided, but differ substantially in construction and location.

The first, “Option B Plus,” would be a renovation of the existing Julius Boehm Pool facility. A larger, eight-lane lap pool would be constructed at the site, and the current pool would remain as a smaller, leisure pool for recreational swimmers after receiving various minor upgrades to extend its life. Spectator seating and a birthday party room would also be constructed. This choice would cost $20.3 million, with an annual subsidy of about $120,000.

Another choice, “Option C,” would be the construction of an entirely new aquatics facility at an off-site location. The services offered would be largely the same as Option B Plus, but with the addition of an outdoor sprayground and spa. This option would cost $31.7 million, with an annual subsidy of approximately $150,000 to $200,000.

Consultants said the most likely location for this option would be at Central Park Pad 4 in the Issaquah Highlands.

Jen Newton, recreation supervisor for aquatics, identified the needs for a new facility a site of at least four acres, on flat ground.

“You know very well there are not many pieces of land like that in Issaquah that are owned by the city,” she said.

Council members raised a lot of questions over the site preference, such as what other locations had been looked at, and whether any other options were available.

Councilmember Fred Butler also addressed the issue of who would be paying for the pool. The most likely source of revenue for the project would come from tax dollars or a bond, Ballard said, which are measures that would only affect city residents, though the pool is a regional facility.

“How would it work?” Butler said. “Would we have (those living outside city limits) participate in financing … so it’s not just the citizens of Issaquah financing a pool for the citizens of Issaquah and the rest of the Issaquah School District?”

Options for financing and who will be paying have not yet been determined, however. Financing possibilities for the project include: a public bond issue in 2010, securing grants, partnerships between the school district, swim teams and other pool users, establishing a Parks & Recreation Service Area special facilities district and selling naming rights.

At this point, Ballard said, the committee will continue considering input to narrow two options down to one preferred option. They will then develop a detailed operating plan that will answer specific questions, many of which were asked and went without answers at the council meeting. These questions include the cost of passes to the facility, how the project will be paid for and by whom, and what amenities will be available, among other things.