There is public backing for a swimming pool and recreation facility in Kaysville, although many don't want their taxes used to support it, the Kaysville City Council was told Tuesday.
Of those responding to a survey in Kaysville and Fruit Heights, 57 percent support building a swimming pool, according to the survey, with 27 percent opposed.And just 50.6 percent of those responding agree that tax money should be used to support its construction and operation, with 36 percent opposed and the rest either undecided or having no opinion.
The survey was conducted by a swimming pool research committee headed by Kaysville resident Steve Humphrey, who reported his results Tuesday. Humphrey said 971 surveys were returned, 162 out of the 750 sent to Fruit Heights residents and 809 out of 3,500 mailed to Kaysville homes.
Humphrey said that is a good response, higher than most surveys obtain. Humphrey also noted the issue of building a swimming pool is a divisive one, with mostly younger residents with children supporting it. Senior citizens generally opposed it, apparently fearing higher taxes, he said.
The survey shows 54 percent of those responding already use a recreational facility in a surrounding community, and if Kaysville had a pool 76 percent of those said they would use it.
Of those, 40 percent would be between 6 and 17 years old, Humphrey said. "With Kaysville's population expected to increase 59 percent over the next 20 years, the demand for various recreational facilities will only increase," the survey concludes.
Humphrey said committee members looked at swimming pools and related recreational facilities up and down the Wasatch Front, comparing what they offer and questioning managers about what the public wants and uses.
The committee found one facility, in Orem, that operates at a profit without subsidies from the city, Humphrey said, crediting that to good management, aggressive marketing and offering an entire recreational experience aimed at families instead of just a swimming pool.
Humphrey said he believes offering a facility similar to the one in Orem is the best proposal, noting that of the top 10 facilities along the Wasatch Front, the survey respondents ranked an Orem facility ninth despite it being 60 miles away.
The survey shows Fruit Heights and Kaysville residents most often go to the Layton pool, followed by Bountiful, Roy and Clearfield. Their top 10 activity preferences, the survey shows, are swimming, racquetball, aerobics, weights, ice skating, basketball, sauna, tennis, golf, track and jogging.
Humphrey said the pool committee, which began its work in March, now knows what residents want, but committee members still need to determine what a facility will cost and how it will be funded.
The committee's recommendations include:
- A facility that is self-sustaining, needing no tax money to support it.
- A pool alone loses money, so additional recreational facilities with widespread public support should be included.
- More recreation complexes should be visited and evaluated to study their design and offerings.
- And, the pool committee should work with the city's parks and recreation committee to share information and resources.