Rexburg Gets a Pool

At the Rexburg city council meeting on December 3rd plans were discussed more in depth for the Rexburg Outdoor Aquatic Center.
When Mayor Shawn Larsen was re elected in 2007, one of his campaign promises was to look into a community pool and recreational area. Now, this dream for many Rexburg citizens is coming to pass.
The Rexburg Urban Renewal Agency (URA), which operates under the Rexburg Redevelopment Agency (RRA), has been discussing and finalizing plans for the upcoming Rexburg Outdoor Aquatic Center according to a presentation given by John Webber, an agency member, at city council. The aquatic center is going to feature an outdoor pool open for use by Rexburg citizens. The center will also eventually have a recreational area with soccer and baseball fields.
Steven Zollinger, the city attorney, explained in a little more depth the upcoming plans. The Rexburg Outdoor Aquatic Center will be built on land located at 2nd N. and Center Street which is currently used by Zollinger Construction. The RRA has purposed a trade with Zollinger Construction for a piece of property a few streets over and of equal square footage. The purpose for the trade would be for easy public access and for use of the building that the construction company has on the property for the parks department and for maintenance purposes.[see below diagram] The land is also surrounded by other city owned properties that will be combined in the creation of the aquatic center. The RRA is confident that Zollinger Construction will agree to this trade of property.

The URA and Inland Public Properties, a company out of Texas, have been developing a contract for the construction of the aquatic center. No official contract has been reached at this time but they are hoping to reach an agreement within the next month after the city council vote on the term sheet. If this contract is established soon, construction could begin as early as this coming spring.
In order to speed the process along, council member Chris Mann made a motion to vote in favor of the exchange of property and to have a vote on the term sheet presented by John Webber. The motion was second by council member Adam Stout and every council member, excluding Council member Woodland who was not present, voted in favor of both the exchange and the terms.
The RRA and URA will continue to develop a contact with Inland Public Properties and plans should be finalized in upcoming city council meetings.