Today marked the end of swimming at Osborn Aquatic Center for some time. August 30th was the final day the facility was open to the public before the start of a major construction project.
The City expects the entire aquatic center to remain closed until fall 2027. Construction on the indoor natatorium is scheduled to begin on September 14th.
There is still an interesting facet to the nearly two-year effort that many people still don’t know about. A funding gap for the construction cost.
(Photo via Visit Corvallis)
The upcoming project will repair the natatorium roof, replace the HVAC system, and replace the liner in the 50-meter pool. The Corvallis School District, which owns Osborn, approved a $5.212 million construction bid from Eagle Mountain Construction in July. The City of Corvallis operates the aquatic center and its programs.
While the construction contract is moving forward, not all of the money needed to complete the full project has been secured. In July, the City described the anticipated funding gap as approximately $1.2 million. The School District was still pursuing grants and a capital fundraising campaign to cover the gap.
Interestingly, the City’s newer construction page now has the current funding gap even higher… at $1.5 million.
According to the City, “a capital fundraising campaign is being launched to seek contributions from community members, organizations, businesses, and other potential supporters.”
So what happens if the additional funds are not raised?
The roof repairs would still move forward. The School District has already laid out a contingency plan for what happens if the remaining funding isn’t secured.
If the necessary funds are not secured by May, the District says it will scale back the project by removing the 50-meter pool liner and specific HVAC units from the current construction contract.
Those portions of the project would then be rebid at a later date, once additional funding is secured… if additional funding can be secured.
The District’s own description of the project says the roof, HVAC system, and 50-meter pool liner must be replaced before the indoor pools can reopen. Neither the City nor District currently says on its project pages exactly how activating that contingency plan would affect the reopening date.
That leaves open the possibility that the roof could be repaired, but if funding isn't secured for the pool liner or HVAC work, the center's indoor facilities would still remain closed.
This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
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