The goal from the beginning was to not put the entire project on the backs of property owners with a large mill levy increase.  The voters have previously made clear, as recently as 2021, that they do not want a large mill levy increase to fund the pool.  As a special district, the Recreation District cannot ask a sales tax question, only property tax.  The City of Cañon City felt a pool in our community was an essential service and decided to partner with us.  This partnership means three questions needed to pass.  They were:

1)      A 0.30% sales tax increase to pay for capital construction and capital reserves for the swimming facility.  This will be collected through city sales tax and passed through to the Recreation District to pay off the bonds.  It will sunset once the bonds to construct the pool are paid off in 25 years.  This was a City of Cañon City question, and you needed to live within city limits to vote on this question. 

2)      A debt financing question from the Recreation District.  This question is not a tax increase.  It is the District asking the community for permission to go into debt to acquire general obligation bonds to construct the facility and build some capital reserves.  The bonds are paid off by the sales tax and will sunset once the debt is repaid.  The estimate is that it will take 25 years to do this. You needed to live within the boundaries of the Recreation District or own property in the District to be eligible to vote on this question.

3)      A four mill increase in the Recreation District’s mill levy.  This was to go to both the operations subsidy of the new pool facility and for current Recreation District operations.  This increase would not sunset as the expenses of the Recreation District are ongoing.  This would be voted on by residents of the District. 

All three questions, one from the City and two from the Recreation District, needed to pass to have a swimming pool facility.  This means two needrd to pass for capital construction and one for operations.  Following the election, the two construction questions passed and the operations question did not.  In other words, pool construction has been authorized, but there is no funding to operate it.  As discussed in numerous presentations, we are looking at the options to address the operational needs of the pool.

The Recreation District owned and operated the Icabone Swimming Pool for 57 years before it had to be closed in May of 2023.  Once that happened, the City of Cañon City approached the District to see how they could help in getting the pool replaced.  The District, City, and several local businesses partnered for a feasibility study to determine what type of facility the community wanted, where it would be located, and determine how much it would cost to construct and operate.  Cañon City Schools also asked how they could assist in this effort.  They agreed to give land in front of the high school, said they would have a boys and girls swim team, and were interested in PE classes and swim lessons during the school year.  In August 2024 the Fremont County Commissioners offered $100,000 in ARPA funds if a ballot question was passed to construct the pool. 

Local government is working together to bring a pool facility to Cañon City.

From the beginning this has been about the community.  Every decision during the feasibility study was made by the citizens, not a government entity.  They participated in surveys, provided feedback, participated in stakeholder groups, and left comments on social media.  All the data was collected and provided to the consultants to develop facility options and operational plans.  The government agencies simply listened and let the community lead the way. 

• In all, the study website had 8,284 unique visitors who participated in three surveys and left comments. 
• Another 1,027 registered voters participated in a scientific survey through Magellan Strategies. 
• 70 people participated in small group stakeholder meetings.  This featured the opinions of people in favor of a project, against the project, and people on the fence.  The consultants stated it was one of the most balanced stakeholder groups they have seen organized and it matched the demographics of the community.
• There were four public presentations which were attended by a combined 350 people. 
• A pool committee of 12 local citizens was formed to help the consultants examine the data and speak for the community.  
• The Recreation District Board of Directors and Cañon City Council had three joint meetings. 
• There were numerous stories in the local paper, monthly radio interviews, seven different videos explaining the process, and numerous social media posts by the Recreation District, City of Cañon City, Daily Record, KRLN, and Citizens for a Pool on multiple platforms including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Nextdoor. 
• On the Recreation District social media accounts there were over 200,000 impressions viewed and nearly 800 comments.  If you consider the other entities’ platforms, those numbers climb significantly higher. 

The community has had every opportunity to participate in the process and become informed on the issues in multiple ways.  Every decision has been based on public feedback, not on what any government entity desired. 

The proposed $24.8 million facility would be located where the existing Icabone Swimming Pool is located - 12th and College in Cañon City.  The City would vacate the north part of 12th Street between the pool and the front lawn of the high school. Cañon City Schools is donating land in front of the high school so the pool footprint can expand, and a parking lot can be added.  In surveys, the community overwhelmingly wanted the location of the pool to remain where it is; thanks to our fellow government partners, we have been able to make this happen.  The community made their voice heard and we listened.

Pools are extremely expensive facilities, which is why we must ask the community for support.  In 2014 the standard, outdoor, seasonal commercial public pool was being built for $180 to $200 per square foot.  In 2024 the cost is $480 per square foot.  Early estimates show this will rise to more than $770 by 2034.  For indoor facilities, the cost today is more than $800 per square foot.  The indoor facility needs a building that can manage high humidity and treated water.  This means different decking, pool structure, liner, filtration system, pipes, gutters, skimmers, HVAC systems, upsized locker rooms, and bathrooms for non-swimmers. Furthermore, existing codes must still be complied with.  There are numerous codes which must be met from ADA to the Model Aquatic Health Code, to State requirements, and local regulations. 

Also there are only a handful of companies in the United States which design commercial public pools.  This also drives the cost up.  We are not happy with the cost of commercial public pools, but that does not mean the price is not correct.  These facilities will only get more expensive over time and their costs are rising faster than inflation.  The price of this proposed facility is in line with other projects around the state and country.   

No.  What is being proposed through community feedback is an indoor/outdoor combination facility.  This creates year-round use.  By no means is it extravagant.  The design is a standard, modern pool facility being constructed today in communities our size all over America.  There are commercial public pools being built which cost over $60 million.  They are extravagant and have similarities to a water park.  

Most commercial public pools are funded through tax dollars.  According to our consultants from Counsilman-Hunsaker, 99.7% of the swimming pool projects they have worked on were funded through local taxes.  We are constantly looking at grant funding for a swimming pool.  The reality is there are very few options available to us.  We are exploring opportunities from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Great Outdoors Colorado, and El Pomar Foundation.  All would require the passage of a tax question to be considered.  Competitive grants, which if they were awarded, would cover less than 5% of the total project.  We will continue to look and apply where we can, but there are limited options.

We did receive a committment of $1 million from the Biggerstaff Foundation to be spread out over 10-years.  We do appreciate this generous donation from the Biggerstaff family.

The funds do not belong to any local government entity, it is a separate issue.  The $50 million investment in Fremont County through The Water Resources Development Act authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work on projects in Fremont County which address water resources challenges and will improve our waterways, water infrastructure and stabilization, and/or flood and storm protection. Money is not given directly to the City, County, or Recreation District. The City, County, and Recreation District also cannot ask the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to use this money to build a pool as that project does not fall within the parameters of appropriate projects under The Water Resources Development Act. Find out more information at https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8812/text 

This is something that is simply not done.  When you build a backyard pool there is one code to meet.  For a commercial facility, there are as many as ten different codes you must meet and they don't always play nice with each other.  You need a commercial pool designer and builder to get you through this process to have a facility that will meet code and last 50+ years.  This is not a project that can be done with a community build mentality.  The one part of the project which can be done by local contractors is demolition.  This is where some cost savings could come in to play.

Standard commercial public pools are not, and never will be, 100% sustainable.  In the United States there are five publicly owned facilities that are profitable; but they are water parks, not a standard commercial public pool.  Two of them are in Colorado: Water World and Pirates Cove.  Public pools are a service.  They provide needed recreational opportunities to the citizens and their fee structure must meet the socioeconomics of their community.  The Recreation District subsidized the Icabone Pool around $40,000 to $50,000 every year by using both the general fund and Conservation Trust Fund (lottery) dollars.  In our region of the state, pools in Florence, Pueblo West, Pueblo, Woodland Park, Walsenburg, Trinidad, and Colorado Springs are subsidized by local government.  To operate a commercial public pool, you must have the funding available to cover the shortfall.

Yes.  Public pools have admission fees to help offset the cost of day-to-day operations.  The Icabone Swimming Pool operated this way since it opened in 1966.  However, the fees to swim in the public facility must meet the socioeconomic needs of the community.  You must have a balance between cost recovery and price points.  In the case of the proposed facility, you must factor in that Cañon City is above the state average for the percentage of people below the poverty line.  In 2022 the Icabone Pool had a $4 entry fee for children and seniors, and a $5 entry fee for adults.  When  budgeting for operational expenses as part of the Feasibility Study, we used a $5 daily entry fee to use the facility.  There will also be memberships for singles, couples, and families, as well as rates for seniors.  

There will be fees for swimming lessons as well.  In 2022 the fees were about $48 for each swim lesson session (9 lessons over three weeks).  We also had a scholarship program for families in need that reduced this expense by 50%.  The Recreation District will look to continue this type of program.

The school district will also provide a fee for operational expenses during any physical education classes or swim team activities.  All of this has been factored into cost recovery.  Please know the Recreation District will benchmark with other rural communities such as Montrose, Gunnison, Eaton, Meeker, Fairplay, and Rangely in determining the cost of entry into a facility.  With an opening date most likely in 2027 we cannot provide a firm number now, but the ones shared earlier in this answer are the goals.  

Yes, in Colorado property values have risen over the last decade.  This is based on demand for homes and businesses on a statewide level.  This does not mean your property tax has increased at the same level as your property value.  How property is assessed in Colorado is determined by the Legislature on a statewide basis.   While your property values have increased, the amount of property tax you pay has not increased at the same rate due to the State Legislature making four adjustments to assessment rates over the past sixteen months.  Even if your property value has doubled in the last decade or less, the amount of revenue the Recreation District has received has not doubled in more than 25 years.  Has our revenue gone up?  Yes, but not nearly as much as you would think.

We are the second lowest funded recreation district in the state of Colorado, per capita.  We have never had a mill levy increase. For example, from 2020 to 2023 we made improvements at Rouse Park totaling $750,000.  These included replacing the playground, stadium lights, adding covered dugouts and shade structures, and replacing a backstop.  To do this we received numerous grants, ARPA funding, donations from local businesses and organizations, and Recreation District public dollars.  Without the help we received, none of the improvements would have been possible.  The District stretches every dollar we have and leverage it to try and improve existing facilities.  Currently the assets of the District equal a little more than $6 million.  The addition of a pool facility would more than quadruple our existing assets.   

Voters approved question 2A at the November 2024 election which raised the City's sales tax.

This increased the sales tax within the City of Cañon City's limits. For every $100 worth of taxable goods you purchase, there is an additional $0.30 charge.  This tax will sunset once the capital construction is paid for- in 25 years or less.

There is an extensive list of requirements for a YMCA to come into a community.

1) For the YMCA to come to Cañon City they require the TAXPAYERS to fund/pay for the capital construction of the pool. Capital construction is the entire cost to build the pool and associated facilities is estimated to be around $24.8 million.

2) The YMCA charges management fees in addition to operation fees, which are paid for by the TAXPAYERS.

3) If the YMCA does not generate enough income to cover the annual budget, TAXPAYERS must pay the difference. Example: The YMCA contracts with the Cañon City Area Recreation District (CCRD) to operate on a $500,000 budget and the memberships and activities only generated $250,000 for the year.  CCRD must pay $250,000 to the YMCA that year to make up the deficit.  Pools operate at a deficit every year so CCRD would have to find other ways to generate the income to pay the YMCA. 

4) The YMCA organization keeps all revenue generated and none is returned to the community

Additional facts about YMCA and funding:

1. For the YMCA to balance their budgets in both Colorado Springs and Pueblo, both municipalities and counties provide them with a subsidy.  In the case of the partnership between the City of Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak YMCA, the city provides $700,000 annually (from TAXPAYERS) in maintenance services to make sure the five pools are operational and open. 
2. The programming, staffing, and day-to-day work is handled by the YMCA, but the maintenance, liability, and utilities are handled and paid for by the city (from TAXPAYERS). 
3. The YMCA is a fee-based organization.  It is not uncommon for YMCA recreation centers and pools to be more expensive than similar facilities operated by municipalities or districts.  This means you will be paying taxes for the facility and paying more than necessary for membership.
4. The swimming pools operated by the YMCA in Colorado Springs are TWICE the admission cost of publicly owned facilities operated by the communities in Pueblo, Florence, and Cañon City. 
5. If the YMCA felt they could operate in Cañon City, they would already be here. They were approached and discussions occurred in 1999, 2009, and 2017.
6. The YMCA in Pueblo was struggling to operate their pools and have returned operations back to the City of Pueblo.

Yes, schools, first responders, and roads are essential services to any community; however, some do not think about parks and recreation as an essential service.  A phrase which applies here is, “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”  In 2010, Colorado Springs made the choice to cut their Parks and Recreation Department by 85%.  Parks, trails, pavilions, and playgrounds were not maintained, some programs were eliminated, and many staff members were let go.  It did not take long for the community to get upset because the facilities they enjoyed using were no longer maintained.  Not only did the citizens of Colorado Springs learn the value of recreation, but so did the government.  People complained about an increase in crime and the fact they no longer wanted to use facilities in disrepair.  Fast forward to now and not only did Colorado Springs reinstate the budget for parks and recreation but have continued to look for ways to invest in additional parks, trails, facilities such as pickleball courts, and programs.  “You don’t know what you have until it’s gone,” is a lesson the community learned and now they continue to invest in recreation because it is an essential service.

Parks and recreation are taken for granted in many communities.  The question is not, is recreation a luxury; rather, do you want to live in a community without parks, trails, open spaces, and programs?  Imagine Cañon City with no parks, trails, playgrounds, courts, open spaces, and no adult or youth programs.  Is that a community you would want to live in?  Parks and recreation improve the quality of life in our community 365 days a year.  You can go for a walk on the beautiful Riverwalk, take your dog to the dog park, use the archery range, take your kids to a playground, have a family gathering at one of the many pavilions, participate in one of many sports programs, or attend one of our special events.  There is tremendous value in that.  Recreation is not a luxury; it is an essential service.

No.  The Recreation District offices will remain exactly where they are, 575 Ash Street in Cañon City.  There are two office in the proposed pool facility.  One for the pool manager, and the other for the lifeguards.  That is it.  The District did not want to increase the cost of the facility, which would happen if the offices moved.  This is why we are staying right where we are currently located.