We are excited to introduce our dreams for the next decade at our small community pool! BUT, we need YOUR HELP!
[Voting starts in August]
As a woman-led pool, our Director Nicole has spent the last decade, YES DECADE, at the pool being involved in building its capacity and community up to where it currently is. Within the last five years, she has made updates to the pool such as resurfacing the pool floors, updated the HVAC and overhead mushrooms lights, and, most recently, gone solar with adding solar panels. As you can tell by the bricks, our pool still has some of its original 1970s features!
We have seen the growing community at our pool, especially for our lesson programming and acknowledge that this small pool cannot fill all the needs of our swim families at the capacity level we are working at. We have seen such a growth in demand for swimming and are SO APPRECIATIVE to have this demand. Our director has been wrapping her brain around how she can solve this issue in a more sustainable way. We started with reflecting on our Board and staff...
We have come to the conclusion that expanding may be the best thing for us! This would entail a lot of upgrades in our current building first, but move on to building another two story building with expanded parking lot space! THIS IS BIG. We want our community to be involved. We want better for our community and more. So we got brainstorming and have released our notes during our 2024 April Pool's Day event. Our plan goes as follows:
Enhancing Pool Facilities for Community Safety and Comfort. Revitalize and update the current pool infrastructure for increased safety and improved aesthetics, creating a more welcoming environment for our community.
Environmental Sustainability: Currently we are on our way to adding in solar panels to minimize the carbon footprint of our facility. Adopting energy-efficient windows will optimize natural light and insulation, reducing the reliance on artificial lighting and heating especially if we pair with a new HVAC system.
Community Impact: Ensuring warm locker rooms, upgraded fixtures, and slip-resistant floor tiles offers a range of benefits, particularly for our senior patrons who rely on the pool for fitness and injury recovery. These updates are preventive measures for injury and improve accessibility for all, mitigating potential risks for both young swimmers and seniors. Additionally, refreshing fixtures and paint enhances the pool's appeal for new visitors.
We estimate the budget to amount up to $750K for the various renovations and enhancements.
Undertake a comprehensive feasibility study and prep phase towards the construction of a new building adjacent to our existing pool premises. This project aims to facilitate the expansion of community services, creating a space that caters to the diverse needs and aspirations of our patrons.
....Insights garnered from this survey will inform the design phase, ensuring the new facility aligns closely with the desires and well-being of our diverse community.
Community Benefits:
Community-Centric Benefits: The proposal for an additional fitness and community center holds significant promise for the youth in our area, especially those enrolled in our scholarship programs. This envisioned space won't merely offer exercise amenities; it will become a hub for skill enhancement, community interaction, and personal development. By providing a dedicated environment for physical fitness and skill-building activities, it aims to instill a sense of belonging and opportunity among the younger members of our community.
Empowering Youth through Employment: In tandem with this expansion, our commitment to fostering employment opportunities for young individuals, starting from the age of 14, will flourish further. The prospective new building is poised to generate more job prospects within our community, thereby empowering youth with invaluable experiences, enriching their personal growth, and nurturing essential professional skills in a supportive environment.
Tailored Facilities for Seniors: The proposed fitness center within the new structure will not just serve the youth but will also cater to the needs of our senior community members. This space will be crafted with facilities tailored specifically for their well-being and fitness requirements. The aim is to create an inclusive and senior-friendly environment that promotes active participation, fosters community engagement, and advocates for a healthier lifestyle among our senior population.
Enhancing Water Safety Education: Additionally, this project's expanded facilities will augment our capacity to provide enhanced water safety education and training programs to a broader audience. The comprehensive amenities within the new space will enable us to diversify our offerings, ensuring the promotion of aquatic safety education, a crucial aspect for the well-being of our community members of all ages.
The estimated budget for this project is $500,000, allocated towards the successful realization of this new addition.
Architectural Designs
Community Survey
Preparation Steps
Contingency and Miscellaneous
You were able to understand and GET EXCITED about what's to come in the future. At Evergreen, we want to strive for more for our unincorporated community! We hope that throughout this journey, you can continue to support us, be patient with us, and help us learn to be better!
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Please help us by filling out our community input survey. If you work, live, are in White Center often, we would love to understand how community uses the pool, what aspects are valued, and other thoughts you may have for our pool!
[Voting starts in August]
We have been applying to different grants here and there and have been approved to be on the ballot for the Participatory Budget voting ballot. When the time comes, we will link the ballot here. We hope that you will be able to check back in to vote for our projects to go to the final rounds and that you will share to others in the White Center/ North Highline community.
Evergreen Aquatic Center
[Reminder]: Please remember our pool has scheduled breaks for our staff and we will not be available to answer questions at these hours:
M-F 9a - 11a and 2p - 3:30p