Title
Briefing on the Neighborhood Pool Infrastructure Grant Program
Purpose
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND:
This briefing is to update Council on the recently established Neighborhood Pool Infrastructure Grant Program that was adopted by the Neighborhood Commission. The goal of the program is to ensure that the city's seven (7) neighborhood pools are able to address key repairs and improvements to continue to remain operational as viable community amenities.
Discussion:
For the past 12 years, the seven neighborhood pools (Olde Wythe, Mallory, Riverdale, Northampton, Willow Oaks, Elizabeth Lake, and Briar Queen) have partnered with the city to increase safe access to water for youth and encourage community interaction by participating in the annual Neighborhood Pool Grant program. Since 2011, the program has allowed an average of 6,000 visitors annually to visit the pools over 9 community pool days at the beginning of each season (approximately 10% of the regular swim season days). The annual program has helped encourage neighborhood relationships and increased opportunities to improve annual pool membership.
These volunteer-managed, non-profit pools have been valuable assets for over 40 years, providing unique social and recreational benefits to Hampton citizens. In 2016, the Neighborhood Commission spent several months working with the pools to understand the issues they were facing. As a result of the Commission's work, City Council included the city's neighborhood pools among their list of Strategic Projects. In 2019, City Council appropriated a total of $1,000,000 in the Capital Improvement Plan ($500,000 in FY 2020 & $500,000 in FY2021). The new pool infrastucture grant program would provide funding to the pools to cover repairs that are either critical, efficient, or aesthetic in nature in order to support the long-term sustainability these community assets.
On January 13, 2020, the Neighborhood Commission approved the new grant program after consulting with City staff and the volunteer pool operators to ensure the proposed program would meet their common goals. Community Development Department staff will provide a summary of the programs and grant proposal process.
Impact:
The Neighborhood Pool Infrastructure Grant program was identified by City Council as a Strategic Project and furthers the work of the Hampton Neighborhood Initiative by supporting the ongoing viability of these key community assets and encouraging public private partnerships.
Recommendation:
Rec
This briefing is for informational purposes only and requires no action or guidance at this time.