The Ridgecrest City Council has given the green light for an additional $556,000 in funding for the new Pinney Pool project.
Originally, the estimated cost for the pool project ranged from $12 to $13 million. These extra funds will cover the expenses for design, bidding, and construction services for the new Sgt. John Pinney Memorial Aquatic Complex. This complex will be constructed in the same location as the now-closed Sgt. John Pinney Memorial Pool, as outlined in the city’s plans.
When the FY 24 budget was first submitted, the city staff didn’t have a precise estimate for the complete project design, leading to the need for the additional $556,000, according to a staff report. These funds will be sourced from unallocated Measure P funds, which are expected to have approximately $4.3 million available for FY 24, as per another staff report.
During the August 16 meeting, the city council approved this amount as an increased allocation within the city’s fiscal year 23-24 budget.
The cost estimate for the full design, bidding, and construction services is $1.2 million, as provided by pool consultant Flewelling & Moody Architects. Additionally, an estimated $50,000 will be allocated for essential geotechnical services related to the pool.
Assuming everything proceeds as planned, Flewelling & Moody’s estimated timeline indicates the pool complex should be finished by the summer of 2025. Specific dates in this timeline include September for reaching 100 percent design development and November for achieving 100 percent construction documents. Construction itself is anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2024.
The city has also enlisted the services of consultant Aquatic Design Group and has organized a series of town hall meetings to gather public input on the pool’s design.
It’s worth noting that there was no discussion on this item during the meeting, and it passed as part of the consent calendar.
Additionally, within the same consent calendar, the city council approved the donation of in-kind services to the Petroglyph Rock Art Festival, scheduled for November 4th and 5th. These services, including traffic and crowd control, are being provided by the city at no cost. The estimated value of these services has not yet been determined.