Build it and they will come

Platte Valley Martial Arts and operator Nick Haderlie held an open house Wednesday, December 8, on the possibility of an aquatics center in Saratoga.

Many in attendance seemed in agreement the current pool is in need of repair and doesn't fit the current needs of the community. Stated in the open floor meeting, it's been observed by many the median age of the town of Saratoga and surrounding areas is going down.

Younger people and families are moving to the area and change is needed to support the growth, many agreed.

"The new construction of a hospital in town will bring in even more people. There is no housing to attract workers but there could be facilities to attract more workers to the Valley. Something for children to do and to attract families that we currently don't have." said one attendee of the open air meeting.

Improving the quality of life for current and future residents of the Valley was a main topic of the meeting. One main goal expressed by many in the meeting was an aquatic center based on community needs and desires. In order to achieve this, a community survey will be available for anyone wanting to participate. Based largely online, with paper copies available, the survey will be available to many community members. The community impact of having an aquatic center, where it would be located and what the center looks like is all up for debate and open to input from local residents.

The project is in the very beginning phases with prime opportunities to become involved. Haderlie is currently spearheading the project. Operating Platte Valley Martial Arts has given him insight into the community's recreation needs outside martial arts.

"I'm motivated to make this project happen, not only for my family personally but the community as a whole. My hope is to have something similar to the Laramie Rec Center," said Haderlie. For example there's a splash pad, water park facility, lazy river, therapeutic and lap pool. I think something like this would better serve our community needs."

Not only an aquatic center, the project has a wealth of things to offer the community. The hopes for this facility are big and many things can be encompassed in the project. An indoor track would be a great alternative to running or walking outdoors during winter weather. Multiple lanes allow runners and walkers to use the area at the same time.

Multipurpose rooms host classes ranging from yoga to small group training with a variety of experienced staff as well as board meetings, birthday parties or public presentations. While Saratoga has the community center for some similar things, scheduling is a recurring issue. The elementary school has priority use of the community center for cold days and other indoor activities. This makes holding even a weekly class difficult.

A sports court would give the ability to host volleyball, pickleball, basketball and other gym activities.The possibility of a steam room, sauna and hot tub are exciting in the cold winter months which dominate the Valley a large portion of the year. It would be a great addition to the aquatic section of the facility. Leisure pool or pools with play features and amenities to entertain the kids, as well as lap lanes for rehabilitation is a consideration.

A Valley wide recreation board is not something currently in effect, but was discussed as a possibility. The hopes of a non-profit, volunteer-led Valley wide recreation board using the facility seems to show the forward thinking of those involved in the project. The ownership and management of the facility is still being processed with many questions need to be answered. Money raised for a feasibility study will hopefully do just that.

In the feasibility study, many options will be explored. The cost to build, run and maintain the facility is a number one question of leaders of the project. Maintenance and operations costs over the next 50 years will determine fundraising abilities and private donation possibilities. Membership and user fees would be dependent on cost to run and operate the facility. In terms of utility costs, the possibility of utilising hot springs water to offset costs could be considered. Possible locations for the facility could depend on the usage of hot springs water. With many questions to be answered, public input and participation was greatly encouraged. Haderlie encouraged those interested to exchange emails and contact him at [email protected].

The project is just getting started with a community survey beginning after the New Year. A feasibility study is the first step to getting things up and running. There are many opportunities to get involved with the new recreation mission of the continually changing community needs. Creating a facility to improve the Valley's quality of life for years to come could be an exciting goal for the new year. With a wealth of things to offer the community and exciting new amenities, it can be easy to overlook one very important service the facility can provide.

" We live in a community with a lot of water around, offering swimming lessons is huge" stated Jon Suttee.

Though lessons have been offered at the outdoor pool in the past, in recent years lessons have been hard to facilitate. Weather conditions also make the outdoor pool unusable for a large portion of the year. Many seemed in agreement the current pool is in need of repair and doesnt fit the current needs of the community. Improving the quality of life for citizens with amenities and facilities will attract more residents to the Valley. The needs of the community seem to be ever changing. Having a strong community input appears to make the Good Times Valley a tight knit community with big goals for the future.