DE PERE, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – De Pere residents could be voting in November whether they want to spend money to keep a pool on each side of the city.
The city’s common council will vote next week whether to hold a binding referendum.
Legion and VFW Pools are still open, but in 2016, the council voted to eventually close them both. A few months later, a vote was taken to build a new aquatic center at VFW Park.
After hearing from Legion Pool supporters Thursday night, the city’s parks committee agreed the council should vote on whether it should rescind the 2016 decision.
In what some called a last-ditch effort, Legion Pool supporters packed the parks committee meeting to try to save their pool.
“The idea of losing a pool on the east side to which my children can access on their own, so close to my house, is difficult to process,” said Belen Raymond, a Legion Pool supporter.
A variety of speakers took turns explaining Legion Pool’s benefits, including its historical significance, impact on property values, and convenience for families.
“Due to Legion Pool’s location, it provides children the ability to independently and safely get themselves to the pool, meet up with friends, maintain and build new friendships,” said Ashley Hendricks of De Pere.
A vote on the design of a $7.8 million aquatic center for VFW Park was put on hold last month to hear from the Legion Pool group.
“One of the things the city wants to do is fundraise for it,” said Marty Kosobucki, De Pere’s parks director. “Until we have money in place, it is hard to put a timetable to it.”
At its meeting next Tuesday, the council will vote on whether to take back the 2016 vote and whether to hold the referendum.
“When we made the decision in 2016, I think it was absolutely the right decision based on the information we had,” said Larry Lueck, a member of the council. “Now I think some of the information has changed. Some of the factors we’ve considered have changed a little bit.”
“We’re ecstatic,” said Katie Carivou, one of the organizers of the Save Legion Pool group. “We’re really excited. Our whole goal going into this was to get aquatic facilities on both sides of the river and this is a huge step in that process.”
The referendum would ask voters if the city should go $900,000 beyond its levy limit. That money would be spent on new pool facilities at Legion and VFW Parks.
A decision on what exactly should be put at the parks would likely only be made if the referendum passes.
