City Wants Feedback from Davis Islands Residents on Pool Design

The city parks department is asking Davis Islands residents to look at two site plans for renovating the Roy Jenkins public swimming pool, which has been closed since 2009.

At a community meeting June 16, residents perused the two design options and selected “Option B,” which includes a new lobby and entry, expanded pool building, and large “splash pad.” But attendance at the meeting was light, and the department wants to hear from more residents and businesses in the area before moving forward, said projects manager Laurie Potier-Brown.

The designs are similar in their main entry and a first floor with three multi-purpose rooms, elevator, women and men’s restrooms with showers and dressing areas; first aid room, pool equipment, and storage rooms, Potier-Brown wrote in an email to residents.

Both have the main pool on the second floor; a ramped walkway; children’s activity pool, and a single level deck surrounding both pools.

The 81-year-old pool at 154 Columbia Drive closed because of repair issues and failure to comply with disability access requirements.  Residents feared the pool would never reopen and formed the Committee to Save Roy Jenkins Pool. That group’s reaction to the design proposals was mixed.

“Davis Islands, we really want your feedback,” parks director Karen Palus told city council members during an update today on Tampa’s three closed public swimming pools.

The other two pools are Cuscaden in V.M. Ybor, which is similar in design to Roy Jenkins,  and Williams Pool in East Tampa. All three are historic pools with age-related construction issues, Palus said.

The pool design options have not yet been posted on-line because of technical issues, but should be very soon, Potier-Brown said. The deadline to comment is July 1; email laurie.potier-brown@tampagov.net.

While the city has nine pools open this summer, council members expressed concern for children with nowhere to cool off and nothing to do this summer.

“It’s hot,” said Councilman Harry Cohen. “There aren’t jobs for a lot of kids this summer because of the economy. “

For Councilman Charlie Miranda , it got personal.

“Nothing is better than body and mind than staying busy in the summer,” said Councilman Charlie Miranda. “Parks and recreation has saved a lot of lives (by keeping children busy). I speak from my own experience.”