Victoria Hurley-Schubert

By: centraljersey.com
The recreation committee of the Princetons met Thursday evening to discuss designs for the rehabilitation, refurbishment or replacement of Community Park Pool.
"We’re here to talk about some of the progress the recreation committee has made," said Chad Goerner, Princeton Township mayor. An ad hoc group has been meeting with municipal officials and the Joint Recreation Board to review pool complex design choices. "If we are ever going to get a pool, we need to start moving forward. We need to think about what we ultimately want to achieve."
The group spent the majority of the time quizzing the pool expert on hand and nitpicking details of the design without getting too deep into their overall findings.
Of the of the two members of the public in attendance, one did worry about the way the ad hoc committee was presenting information.
"The Recreation Department represents me and a lot of other people and I worry very much it tilts too much, because when I hear one of you say ‘I want something,’ I think, but I want something, and why am I so little and you so powerful?" said Chrystal Schivell, a township resident who came to the meeting. "That does bother me in a democracy, but I will trust that the Recreation Department does represent everyone that went to all the meetings and is standing up for that."
The results of the meeting period and potential changes to the proposed pool plans were discussed.
Current design plans include: a reduction of the size of the wading pool, reduction and realignment of the family bay, removal of the bridge over the family bay to main pool, removal of playground for additional green space, change of faeade and referral of parking issues to the Township Committee. Locker room size would be reduced and meeting and administrative spaces are included in the design.
Full plans and drawings are posted online at www.princetonrecreation.com, and include the recommendation to raze the current building and replace it with a new, more modern one, while replacing the current pool with one made out of stainless steel. The entire project would cost an total of an estimated $6.1 million. The pool plans were presented to the Planning Board in July of last year.
The pool has been the subject of much debate, with the latest action occurring last month when Borough Council failed to pass a resolution to fund the borough’s $2.1 million portion of the project after the Township Committee passed its portion of the funding last year.
The ordinance has yet to be reintroduced this year. Kevin Wilkes, Borough Council president, spoke about Mayor Mildred Trotmans’ desire to get the pool on the Borough Council’s agenda on Jan. 25. "We’re all committed to do that," he said. "I think tonight is going to be a rehearsal of what you’re going to see that night."
The pool, built in 1967, has major design flaws with no transitional area between the baby wading pool and the Olympic pool and no Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations. It also has plumbing and concrete issues.
Project sticking points have included whether or not to redesign the site and construct a new pool or renovate what exists on site.
A discussion about materials for the pool itself took more than an hour. Ellen Randall, a member of the ad hoc committee, inquired about materials that would last 40 years.
Benjamin Hanbicki, president of Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based Integrated Aquatics Engineering, the pool consultant, said a concrete-based structure can last 40 years as long as the proper maintenance is done. A concrete pool can be lined with plaster or fiberglass.
A second type of pool is a Myrtha pool system. The Italian company constructs pools with a stainless steel construction and a PVC liner. This type of pool is designed for fast installation, they are deep with smooth walls, which allow for better flow and faster filtration.
Although they have their benefits, Myrtha pools are more expensive, about 20 percent more than concrete to build, but are less expensive to maintain over the life span of the product. Concrete pools are cheaper to build, but cost more to maintain over the life span, with painting and replastering. Plaster can be mixed with quartz for an increased cost, which has an additional five-year life span over plain plaster.
"It’s going to come to the same end, it’s a matter of if you want to do it every five, 10, 15 or 40 years," said Mr. Hanbicki, who recommended a Myrtha system, which has an application that can be used in existing structures.
Brandsetter Carroll, a Lexington, Kentucky company hired last January to complete schematics and bid plans for the pool complex, plans a hybrid pool with stainless steel walls and concrete floors.
The cost of a pool is about 50-50 between structure costs and installation costs, said Mr. Hanbicki.
Among the results of the ad hoc committee’s work are areas of compromise, potential changes for further review, items to be considered for bid alternates and items not subject to compromise.
Areas of compromise include the elimination of some of the curves of the design for more rectilinear lines, modifications to the meeting room concept, locker room and concession spaces.
Potential changes include relocation of the slide; reducing excavation costs with modification of ground floor elevations and smaller maintenance and concession areas; eliminating curved exterior walls in favor of rectilinear lines; reorganize the administration building to include wading pool filtration and family changing building and a couple more detail changes.
New ideas for bid alternates from the ad hoc committee include the finishing of a multi-purpose room, openings and associated closure mechanisms in the men’s locker room roofs and building exterior finishes.
The top item not subject to compromise is the philosophy that all of the pools are open to all ages, subject to passage of a swim test and common sense. Second item on the list is the pools and buildings will be reconstructed, not repaired or renovated. Other items on the list include room for expansion of parking lots, additional sets of stairs, a family bay area and the addition of a slide for teens.