By a 12-0 unanimous vote, with Alderman Wilson ill and Alderman Poshard out of town, the Danville City Council has approved accepting the Schomburg and Schomburg of Danville $12.6 million dollar bid for the construction of the new Garfield Pool, being paid for by COVID relief money. There was concern expressed that this is a major cost, using half of the city’s allocated ARPA funds. But the overall sentiment was the kids need this, the community needs this, and in the eyes of Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr; Danville needs it for the entire city.
AUDIO: We have the VA that does therapy for their patients there during the summertime. We have other people who do therapy there. We have classes for adults and ladies there. We’ve lost so many things, and I’m not willing to allow us to lose one more thing. There are places that are much smaller than us that have that amenity. And if we want to continue to be a city of choice where people choose to live, then I don’t think we can afford to lose our pool.
During Tuesday night’s (March 7th) Danville City Council meeting: Schomburg and Schomburg’s $12.6 million bid to build a new Garfield Pool was approved, previous bids for the new Garfield Park were rejected with plans to re-bid, recently retired Parks and Public Properties Manager Steve Lane was recognized at the start of the meeting and spoke briefly.
With the pool scheduled to be ready by Memorial Day Weekend of next year, that urgency will require some COVID relief money to be moved over. As City Engineer Sam Cole explains, some ARPA funds had been allocated for bridge work, but were not yet assigned to specific bridge work. Therefore, the bridge work, when scheduled, can perhaps be funded in other ways.
AUDIO: We had not identified exactly which bridge projects they would be. We’ll end up finding funding for those somewhere else; whether that be motor fuel tax, or other grants, or something like that.
The next hurdle is going to be the ARPA funded Garfield Park project itself, which will most likely be rebid, with various phases and cost adjustments to be determined. Mayor Williams says he’s not worried.
AUDIO: I’m not nervous. Because I believe that with the support of this community that we’ll be able to make that happen. It may be in stages, but I believe that we’ll be able to accomplish anything.
Also approved by the City Council was another COVID relief money purchase forwarded by the Public Services Committee last week; the purchase of a new Aerial Fire Truck with a 100 foot ladder. Fire Chief Aaron Marcott says this can really come in handy in rescue situations, and was a big need.
AUDIO: The ladder truck to Danville is absolutely critical. So many large industrial facilities, so many large assisted living homes and high rise buildings that house the elderly and things like that. For us to be able to use that equipment to get on top of roofs, and rescue people if we need to, is absolutely vital to our city safety.
The Council also passed the Fire Department’s application for the SAFER grant, which would allow for the hiring of six new firefighters, helping to prevent excessive overtime from new personnel needs, such as with the opening of Golden Nugget Casino.
