Parks committee authorizes geotech, structural inspections of Nelsonville Aquatic Center site

The Nelsonville Parks and Recreation Committee voted to direct the city manager to commission geotechnical and structural-engineering inspections of Nelsonville Commons and the brick structures at the Nelsonville Aquatic Center so the committee can decide whether to install playground equipment and how to proceed with the closed pool site.

The motion, which the committee approved after brief discussion, instructs the utilities department to secure the inspections and to route any necessary funding through the finance committee for review. The vote tally recorded three yes votes, one no and one abstention.

Committee members said the inspections are intended to provide the factual basis for near-term choices: whether the pool building can be retained for bathrooms or a visitor center, whether the ground is safe for new playground equipment, and whether a single-site evaluation will be sufficient before spending larger sums on multiple sites. A staff member and a person identified as Jason told the committee a site-evaluation firm could likely visit soon but could not give a final price until on-site; an early ballpark of about $10,000 for multiple site visits and a $2,500 deposit were discussed.

Members and residents also debated timing. Several committee members urged waiting for grant decisions and more public input before pursuing multiple paid site studies, noting the committee is moving into the second half of the 2026 budget cycle and asking where study funds would come from. One committee member said the current pool had been paid for by a 0.25% income-tax increase and donations and that the city should avoid committing new municipal funds without grant support.

An earlier structural report on the current pool was cited by a committee member as producing preliminary remediation estimates in the range of $2 million to $3 million, but members said few firm answers exist and that additional engineering work is required to refine cost projections.

Separately, members reported that playground equipment delivered by Bluegrass Recreation is in storage awaiting a decision about the pool site. Committee members suggested that, if the pool building proves structurally sound, parts of that structure (restrooms, locker-room shell) could be repurposed, potentially allowing the playground to be installed while longer-term pool decisions continue.

The committee also relayed a request from Dan Pfeiffer, chair of the dog-park committee, to transfer three large umbrella-style shade structures that had been installed at the pool but never used; members noted the dog-park account holds roughly $139,000 in grant-restricted funds that must be spent by July and said they would revisit the request after the inspections and finance review.

The committee chair opened and closed the discussion by emphasizing the inspections are intended to produce data to inform—rather than to predetermine—future investments. The meeting adjourned at 8:01 p.m.