Plymouth Park Board discusses possible pool updates with Troyer Group

Mike Reese from the Troyer Group was before the Plymouth Park Board this week to discuss the master plan for an aquatic facility.   

Reese said they plan to conduct some public engagement opportunities to see what citizens want: a pool, splash pad, or a hybrid of different venues. They will then formulate a plan for the park department and city to apply for a DNR Land and Water Conservation Fund grant. Reese explained that it is a matching program in which you can apply for up to $1 million for the project. The deadline for applying for the grant is Aug. 1.  

Reese said the master plan must be created before the grant application process. Once completed and the grant application is submitted, the DNR should make awards in late September, and then the design process could begin in late 2025. Once the DNR awards the application, it must submit it to the National Park Service for final approval, which requires additional environmental submittals. Reese said the process takes a while and he anticipated the project could go to bid in late 2026 and construction in 2027.

REESE said the next step in the Master Plan is to determine what the city and residents want and how much it will cost if the project needs to be completed in phases. To help determine what is wanted, a Public Input Survey will be opened next week for the public to comment on. The survey will be available on the city’s Facebook Page, through QR codes, and in paper copies at various locations.    

The proposed survey for a pool project in Centennial Park has several questions, the first of which is: Are you a Plymouth resident? It was suggested that additional clarification needs to be added, such as those who are within the city limits or paying a city water bill. Next, the survey wants to know an age range: How do you use the Plymouth Pool, and how often do you use it? 

The survey also asks participants to rate proposed amenities with a zero-depth entry pool and a traditional lap-style pool, a shallow pool with splash equipment, or a splash pad without standing water that requires no lifeguard.  The survey lists photos of twelve amenities and asks the participant to select three favorites.  Those amenities include splash equipment, a diving board, a pool rock wall, a more extensive slide structure, a smaller slide structure, a water obstacle course, a lazy river-style pool, shade sails for pool seating, a basketball hoop, and a beach ball play dome.

Park Board member Liz Richie asked if the project was dependent on the grant award, and Reese said that as the park moves forward with design and construction, it will depend on the grant. He said the entire project would be much more than the million-dollar grant and the million-dollar match.  The city is looking into other mechanisms to make the project work. 

GIANT fm WTCA will inform you when the survey is ready and where residents can find it.