LOVELAND, OHIO NEWS – The committee charged with crafting a comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan presented their recommendations to the public on Monday night. At the top of their list, is to “Develop an outdoor family aquatic facility.” The facility will include a bath house with rooms for staff, and two classroom-size rooms called, “indoor programming space.”
The Committee recommends that the facility be built on land the City already owns, and specifically says that Phillips Park on Rich Road should be that site.
The outdoor pool and other recreation needs the committee sees as a priority, and identified by community input, will be paid for with a 15-year property tax levy of 3.5 mils that should be on the November 2006 ballot. Cost to use the pool would be between $125.00 and $225.00 per year or $5-8.00 per day. Loveland residents would pay less than others to use the pool. The Committee said they have not yet discussed scholarship programs or discounts for seniors or others who might not be able to afford the fees.
The Outdoor Aquatic Center is a $4 million project and includes bathhouse, pool with spray features, shallow water, water play area, and sun deck. The pool-house with two multi-purpose rooms, two offices, storage space and restrooms will total about 3,000 square feet and will cost an additional $550,000.00 and annual operating cost of $122,000.00
Also proposed is a Recreation Director and Programmer, materials for programs, promotional costs, additional operating costs for new park amenities at existing parks, etc. at an annual cost of $200,000.00.
Other improvements made to existing park and recreation areas would cost $2,600,000.00. The levy would generate approximately $910,000.00 per year and $13,650,000.00 over fifteen years. The report issued by the committee said a Loveland home with a value of $207,564.00 would pay $217.00 additional taxes per year, and a home valued at $168,404.00, would pay $176.00.
FUTURE PROJECTS/LONG TERM GOALS (Not funded by the 3.5 mill levy.)
Identified as future projects, are to develop a detailed Greenways Plan to link schools, neighborhoods, parks, and the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and also, to “acquire land in city expansion areas for the development of parks as areas are annexed and/or developed.”
The proposal includes a 10, 20 and 200 acre park in Hamilton Township in Warren County in areas not yet annexed into the City. They would cost $11,800,000.00, with annual operating cost of $260,000.00. A proposed “White Pillars Neighborhood Park and Trails” would cost $700,000.00 with annual operating costs of $20,000.00.
A future Community/Recreation Center of 50-60,000 square-feet would cost $8,000,000.00 and $1,265,000.00 to operate annually. The center would be built in Phillips Park or, “this plan could be expanded at a proposed site to accommodate the school district or neighboring townships.”
The total cost of all improvements recommended by the committee is $27,148,000.00 and annual operating costs of $1,641,000.00.
Download committee_recommendations_table.pdf
Download draft_findings_public_input_summary_.pdf
