By: Diane Benjamin

The O’Neil Park Aquatics Center was discussed in depth at the October 15, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting. Every council member is now gone except for one:

Discussion about a water park begins in the minutes on PDF page 6: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/21017/636854797697530000

The cost was estimated at $10,000,000. It probably went much higher considering the opening is a year late and inflation made everything more expensive. The cost for a season pass was estimated at $50, it is now $75. Details here:

https://www.bloomingtonparks.org/programs/aquatics/aquatics-1566

Just a reminder: Holiday Pool needs replaced too. Both pools could have been replaced for what the Aquatics Center costs. The documents say it will lose money just like pools do. The minutes state people go to Fairview in Normal. Evidently Bloomington built it to hurt Normal.

PDF page 7:

The Aquatics Center is only open a few months a year:

The roads are driven 365 days a year. In next years budget they only get $10 million.