Swimming Lane of Dreams

If you build it, they will come and an aquatics center for Saratoga’s residents is still in the works according to Nick Haderlie. Haderlie provided an update on the project at the June 6 meeting of the Saratoga Town Council.

Since its initial conception during the fall of 2021, an aquatics center which could both serve as a community pool and host high school swim meets has been a goal for a group dedicated to bringing the facility to fruition.

“I’m certain you’re getting a lot of questions about it,” Haderlie told members of the Saratoga Town Council last week.

Haderline said the ask for Saratoga would be for the non-profit to take over as the town’s recreation department and commit the town’s recreation budget to the organization, with the school district and other organizations also pitching in. Haderlie said that conversation won’t take place yet as he hasn’t raised the money needed for the project.

“We have a single donor willing to cover a third of the cost,” Haderlie said.

There are two potential construction options for the aquatics center. The first option is estimated to cost $12.5 million and has a single pool. The second option, which Haderline dubbed “Option A Plus” would have a recreation pool and a lane pool for swim meets and is estimated to cost $15.9 million.

Both designs have fitness and cardio rooms, as well as event spaces.

“We want something modest that is actually conceivable for us to maybe build,” Haderline said.

Operational cost estimates are currently “extremely high” by Haderline’s admission. Option A Plus would cost approximately $800,000 annually to operate while the less costly building option is estimated at roughly $500,000 annually. Along with fundraising for capital construction, Haderlie said fundraising is also taking place to create an endowment to reduce the cost of operations and maintenance.

“My target is to raise $20 million,” he said. “If we don’t try, we’ll never get it done.”

To date, the nonprofit behind the push has about $8 million in pledges.

Haderlie said he decided to do something about a common complaint about a lack of indoor recreation in Saratoga and not seeing anyone take charge with an initiative to fix the issue. However, he also said if the plan doesn’t appear viable for 30 to 50 years, he won’t ask for “a single dime.”

“I realize and I’ve been quoted by the radio and stuff that this is a pipe dream, and it is” Haderlie said. “If you don’t dream, dreams don’t come true.”

The next meeting of the Saratoga Town Council will be at 6 p.m. on June 20 at Saratoga Town Hall.