News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville City Council will consider ordering a feasibility study for a possible indoor ice center.
Rick Woods said at a city council work session Monday night that the study with Lose Design would take some 12 to 15 weeks to complete.
“They’ll come in and they’ll do some market research,” Woods said. “They’ll develop the plan for us with detailed financial forecasts that will include cash flow, five-year, twenty-year plans.”
Woods said that the study would also include the potential for locations, as well as opinions on probable costs for construction, maintenance, or any long-term obligations. He said that the $88,500 study is budgeted, and the price came in under budget.
Woods said that he believes in doing a feasibility study for the ice center over the aquatic facility, because the city already understands that there is a great need and want for the aquatics facility in the community. He said that they have already put out requests for quotes or proposals for preliminary design and engineering drafts.
“The big difference I guess is taking the feasibility out of it,” Woods said. “Saying we know we’re going to build one, where’s it going to go, and what should it be? Should it be an outdoor water park, or should it be an indoor competitive facility, or should it be both? What should that aquatics facility be?”
City Manager James Mills said that they don’t know with certainty the feasibility of an ice facility. He said there has not been an overwhelming call for an ice facility, especially compared to the aquatic facility.
Woods said that he will come back to the council by October 1st. He said that there will be a committee to review all of the proposals, and then make a recommendation to begin the preliminary design process. Mills said they separated the two facilities because they’re looking for an expert in the field.
“There’s not a lot of firms that have expertise in ice facilities,” Mills said. “They do have an extended record with ice facilities so that’s why it made the most sense to go ahead and go with them. Multiple engineering firms and architect firms have experience with aquatic facilities.”
Council member Eric Walker said that he wants to make sure everyone comes to the same understanding of what the aquatics facility will be, because that term means different things to different people. Woods said that is where that preliminary design and engineering of the aquatics facility comes in.
Walker asked of the feasibility to afford both the ice center and the aquatics facility. Mills said that it’s a decision the council will have to make once they receive preliminary information for both projects.
