The continuing debate over where to put the proposed Aquatics Recreation Community center or ARC is somewhat amusing. After all, there currently isn’t any money for the $40 million-plus project. Many residents in Juanita do not want the north half of Juanita Beach Park to be considered for ARC, including the Juanita Neighborhood Association. They cite traffic and parking concerns, the loss of open space and trading a free park for a facility residents would most likely have to pay to use. Other concerns include losing valuable baseball fields and what would happen to the historic Forbes House. All are legitimate concerns. I personally drive through there every day at that time and get very frustrated with waiting through four stop-light cycles coming down Northeast 116th Street and trying to get through the intersection with 98th Avenue Northeast. Adding more cars filled with parents shuttling kids to and from swim practice would be a nightmare for commuters.

For the city, it already owns the land, there is money set aside from a 2002 parks bond, around $1.5 million, for the redevelopment of the north side of the park and it is in an area that desperately needs more parking.

Many Juanita residents claim the city is not listening to their concerns. But again, this is a proposal in the very preliminary phase with next to no funding.

It is a reaction to the fact that the pool at Juanita High School will reach the end of its useful life.

The failure of the two proposed bond measures by the Lake Washington School District during the calendar year had a huge impact on the future of the ARC plan. First, the LWSD was considering putting some $10-12 million towards the plan, as a rebuilt Juanita High School, which was included in the failed bond measures, would not include a new pool.

Projecting forward, the only way for the city to pay for the ARC facility is through a bond measure put to a public vote. That $40 million price tag is without purchasing land. That is why the city is looking toward places like Juanita Beach Park and the current site of the North Kirkland Community Center, also in Juanita, because the municipality already owns the property.

I personally have a hard time believing that such a vote would pass. After all, two consecutive LWSD measures failed. Those measures would have replaced a high school and made some major improvements to other Kirkland schools. Yes, those measures were voted on by the entire LWSD, which includes Redmond and Sammamish residents. But the opposition to the measure in Kirkland was strong. As a whole, I would hope that there is more support for education than a public pool.

Do I think there should be a new pool built, yes. I also think there should be universal preschool, a new arena for the Sonics to return to Seattle and no tolls on the 520 bridge. But all of these things cost money.

The city has a steep climb to get ARC funded. The location is a big part of that.

Matt Phelps is the regional editor for the Kirkland Reporter newspaper.