Residents discuss new aquatic center plans | Local News

RACINE — Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave worked to ease some resident concerns Wednesday as he and county officials presided over a community meeting about the planned $6.5 million aquatic center at Pritchard Park.

About 40 people attended the Wednesday afternoon meeting at the park, located at Ohio Street and Durand Avenue (Highway 11).

The SC Johnson Community Aquatic Center is slated to include two separate swimming pools, water slides, a water spray area as well as concession stands accessible to kids coming from nearby park areas outside of the pool area.

Some residents expressed concerns about issues ranging from excessive traffic, noise, unsupervised youth and environmental questions related to the project. Some also asked why the community meeting was held after the County Board approved the project.

“I’m going to look you straight in the eye, right now, and say this is a done deal. Why did I invite you here? It’s to listen to your concerns and see how we can mitigate your issues,” Delagrave told the crowd.

Delagrave said the county is behind on upgrading amenities, but he hopes the aquatic center is the “first domino” in more changes to come as the county moves toward a park master plan.

Julie Anderson, Racine County’s public works and development director, said the county selected Pritchard Park to start because it’s one of the parks that needs the most help.

“This park is tired,” Anderson said. “There is a lot of upkeep and deferred maintenance.”

Neighborhood resident Greg Danowski said he is appreciative of the great gift from the Johnson family that is funding the aquatic center, but he wants to make sure it complements the area.

“Fisk Johnson has great ideas, but I want to make sure this park is integrated into the neighborhood,” Danowski said.

The center is expected to open next summer in an area that is currently open space south of the Pritchard Park fountain and parking lot. The plan will allow parking to be accessible from both Ohio Street and Roosevelt Avenue.

The aquatic center will be managed by the Racine Family YMCA. The Y’s CEO, Jeff Collen, was on hand Wednesday to answer questions and said it will cost between $3 and $5 to access the pool and open swim times will most likely be between noon and 7 p.m. Swim lessons and other programs will be held in the mornings during the swimming months.

“You can be enthusiastic about this project because it’s not in your backyard,” Diane Cloutier told Delagrave during the meeting.

Cloutier and her husband, Jim, live on neighboring Virginia Street and are concerned people will start parking on their street and walk over to Blue River Avenue to access the center.

“People look for a close parking spot. They do it now during events. Now it’s going to be every day of the week,” Diane Cloutier said.

Jim Cloutier, who worked as a middle school teacher for 15 years with Racine Unified, expressed concern for the proposed age for children to be allowed into the center without an adult.

“They want to let 10-year-olds in without supervision except for a couple of lifeguards? They need security; 10 is too young,” Cloutier said.

Delagrave said entrance rules have not been finalized. He also said he is committed to working with traffic planners to address crosswalk safety concerns.

Sister Janet Weyker of the Eco-Justice Center in Caledonia asked that more thought be put into nature paths and focal points along the exterior of the new concrete structure.

“It seems like we’re wasting green space for three months of water activity,” Wyker said. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

Design options

Project Architect Blake Theisen of Waukesha-based Ayres Associates said planners are looking at permeable pavement options, which would allow the movement of storm water through the pavement surface to avoid flooding issues in the neighborhood as well as the latest technology in water filtration for the health of swimmers in the two 15,000-square-foot pools.

The main building will also house bathrooms, locker rooms with showers, as well as a party area that residents can rent.

Fifth-generation Racinian and north side resident Bob Wortock said the project would be a positive stimulus for the area around Pritchard Park and he hopes the aquatic center would one day be as vital to the community as Washington Park Pool was in the 1950s.

“I’ve seen pools like this in other communities and they’re beautiful. If I had children, I’d bring them here. Lake Michigan is too cold. We need places to take our grandchildren,” Wortock said.

Wortock was suprised at the level of negative comments from residents and wanted them to be more positive.

“People are afraid. They look at the glass half-empty,” Wortock said. “It’s a start. Things will improve.”

Delagrave committed to meeting with the residents who signed up at Wednesday’s meeting to again hear their concerns.

The county is expected to select a firm as a construction manager for the aquatic center on Friday.

Other park improvements

The county will pay $2.25 million to improve the three existing baseball diamonds and a football field with turf and other improvements as soon as they get results of a feasibility study. They are also working with the nonprofit Root-Pike Watershed Initiative Network to improve the main fountain at the park.

The City of Racine Planning Commission will take up the county’s site plan for the aquatic center at their Sept. 13 meeting.