Corvallis was punching above its weight in all the right ways when it built the Osborn Aquatic Center back in 1977. Then, twenty-two years later our fair burgh reinvested again, and voila, a morph into the present-day facility. Now, however, the maintenance bills have become due, or perhaps more properly, overdue.
Repairs necessary for a safe reopening would be $5,898,164. Corrosion was found to be eating the structure housing the indoor pools last September, hence the closure. The cost estimate for the fixes came from Scott Edwards Architecture, a Portland firm, and a team of specialized consultants.
Their analysis was released on Wednesday, and it also included estimates for ongoing improvements and maintenance. Like, they’re estimating $3,192,01 in costs for the first ten years after reopening. They also included estimates for ten to twenty years out.
Why it’s important: According to the report, “Osborn is one of a few publicly operated indoor 50-meter pools with adequate deck space and spectator seating for swim competitions in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, it has a warm-water therapy pool, second-level enclosed spectator seating, locker rooms, classrooms, support spaces, an outdoor lap pool, an outdoor recreation pool, and water slides.”
According to State Senator Sara Gelser Blouin, Osborn is one of the top three swimming centers on the West Coast. The closure of its indoor pools has impacted swimming teams statewide. The center’s indoor facilities also offered adaptive swimming for seniors and people with disabilities.
As this year’s legislative session was winding down, Gelser Blouin secured $4 million in state funding towards repairs.
Necessary info: The Corvallis School District owns the aquatic center. After the renovation and expansion in 1999, the District entered into an agreement with the City of Corvallis to operate and maintain the pool.
What’s next: The School District and the City of Corvallis have scheduled a community information meeting on the Osborn Aquatic Center for Monday, September 29, from 6:30 to 8 pm at Linus Pauling Middle School.
Officials will talk about the results of the assessment. They will also be asking community members to help identify priorities for repairs and improvements.
“We know the Osborn Aquatic Center is a valued resource in our community,” said Superintendent Ryan Noss. “This meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the assessment findings and provide input on what matters most moving forward.”
A release from the District says small group discussions, input, and engagement opportunities will follow a presentation.
Between the lines: Here’s our analysis. Both the School District and City of Corvallis are experiencing budget contractions. So is the state.
On the plus side, the District has been somewhat proactive managing those challenges, and yes, Gelser Blouin secured that $4 million in state funding.
But there are minuses. The Corvallis City Council hasn’t begun to deal with its budget challenges. Two-year Councilor terms have not helped. Four of the nine current Councilors are freshmen. Arguably, the problems on the Council are deeper than that, but that’s another story. Most tellingly, however, the Council approved a biennial budget in June, and already, a $10 million deficit is being projected. We also worry, can that $4 million in state funding be clawed back as the state reckons with its own federally induced budget shortfalls; at press time, we don’t know.
In our view, getting this funded will be a tough slog, but on balance, probably worth it. And going into the future, we think the City and School District may want to review their approach to facilities maintenance, generally.
For the short summary version of the architect’s analysis click here. For the longer detailed version click here.
By Hallie Greenberg
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