What we have been told so far:

• Council invested $500,000 to evaluate potential public and private sites
• Seven to nine acres of private land for the ARC will cost up to $20 million dollars
• The ARC design cost could range as high as another $5 million.
• Building cost?  We don’t know. Yet, we are being asked to vote on this unknown amount for an unlimited period of time.

My other concern is that city and/or state agencies sometimes build facilities that are far more expensive than the private sector. On occasion, they run over budget and over time. For instance, consider the projected cost of $40 million to $80 million then look at these Aquatic/Recreation Centers designed, built and operated by the YMCA in Washington. These guys know what they’re doing – because they have been doing it for 100 years.

The YMCA is building a 47,500-square-foot facility in Stanwood. Projected cost is $22 million, community involvement is $17 million; the Y built a 110,000-square-foot facility in Sumner for $35 million, community involvement $16.4 million (land donated by city); the Y built a 85,000-square-foot facility in Haselwood for $22 million, community involvement $12 million (land donated by government); the Y built a 74,765-square-foot facility in Gig Harbor for $24 million, community involvement $16 million (land purchased by the YMCA).

And a ‘good to know fact’ – Kirkland isn’t the first city to lose a school pool. Stanwood did too … and the Y is in the process of building a facility to meet the school’s need and the general public’s need.

This site will have a competitive pool, a leisure pool with river and a big whirlpool.

We don’t need a Metropolitan Park District with a range of 25 cents to 75 cents per $1,000 for an endless period of time. We need the YMCA with their beautiful designs and proven operational knowledge. Take a minute and look at the pictures of these sites. It will blow your mind. They look like resorts.

• gordon-family-ymca[bcradesign.com]
• gig-harbor-ymca[bcradesign.com]
• haselwood-ymca[bcradesign.com]

Bonus point – if you join one Y – you join them all.  If you need a work out close to home, close to school or close to work. You’re golden.

Why not the “Y”?