Redmond Puts New Pool, Rec Facility on Ballot

Redmond, Ore., is hoping residents will support a new pool and recreation center.

According to The Bulletin, the Redmond Area Park and Recreation District has put a measure on the May ballot asking residents whether they would support a $40 million bond and levy for the new facilities.

The bond would collect 55 cents per $1,000 taxable assessed value to build the pool and rec center. The levy would collect 19 cents per $1,000 taxable assessed value to cover the operating costs once the facility has opened its doors.

The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 would pay about $47 per year based on those figures.

Redmond is still using an older pool that accommodated a population of about 6,500 residents when it opened. Today, the park district served about 42,000 people.

“We still have the same facility that we had in 1979,” said Katie Hammer, executive director of the park district. “It lacks the modern amenities that our growing community could use.”

The proposed new pool design would feature lap swimming, a lazy river, a water slide and accommodations for fitness and therapy classes. The rec center would include a gymnasium with two courts, an indoor walking track, multipurpose rooms with cardio and weightlifting equipment and meeting rooms.

The accommodations are based on a 2017 feasibility study the park district conducted, which included asking residents what they would want in a new facility.  

“The amenities they wanted are the amenities we are hoping to put in the facility,” Hammer said. 

Should the measure pass in May, the district envisions the new facilities opening in spring of 2022.