The City entered into an agreement with Lose and Associates for the design of the center in August 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City paused the project beginning May 1. The pause would have ended later this month.
In a 4-1 vote, the Paducah Board of Commissioners approved a municipal order with amendments to continue the supension of the project.
The municipal order suspends the agreement until January 2021. Commissioner Brenda McElroy introduced an amendment to the order which would direct the city manager to continue due diligence related to the project. This due diligence would include the creation of a conceptual build-out for prospective tenants, the creation of community focus groups for the project with an emphasis on inclusion and programming, research on financial assistance and facility naming rights, and research on facility costs with an emphasis on understanding the impact of COVID-19 on the project.
"This is a project that I think is important to our city, but I also understand the need to pause it," McElroy said.
"This is a center for everyone, and don't we all really need places to be together right now?" questioned McElroy. "I think it's important to make decisions that are going to help our community grow. We've lagged way behind in athletic and wellness facilities for our citizens. This facility would add top-notch swimming facilities, a huge indoor walking track, a gym, and so much more. Look around at growing communities and see what you find. We've got to look to the future. I recognize that many people want Paducah to stay like it is, but I contend with you that's not possible. We either work hard to grow or we continue on a path of decline in the health of our community."
McElroy continued by saying, "I'd much rather see us do things that pose our city for growth, increase our tax base, and then take care of our community needs for the long haul."
Comissioner Richard Abraham was the only commissioner to vote no. Abraham stated that he was in favor of the municipal order pausing the design, but not in favor of the amendments.
"When we talk about our citizens and what they want...the citizenry showed up here in chambers to voice their concern about the proposed project," said Abraham. "The funds that we have for the aquatic center can be used for infrastructure. If we're going to do some research on what we need to do to shore up our infrastructure, then we need to spend the time doing that, in my opinion, and not spend the time trying to figure out how we're going to pay for an aquatic center."
For more information about the proposed center including the conceptual drawings, see the link provided below.
On the Net:
Paducah Recreation and Aquatic Center
