Oxford Park Commission Looking for Public Input on New City Pool

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

As Oxford leaders read over design plans and financial reports in planning for a new public pool, one of the most crucial steps is getting input from the citizens who will use the pool each summer.

The Oxford Park Commission has devised an Aquatic Facility Interest and Opinion Survey, aimed at all Oxford and Lafayette County residents to provide input on what a new pool should look like, how much it should cost and what features it should provide.

The 21-question survey only takes a couple of minutes to complete and asks questions like:

• How would you rate the quality of the existing Oxford Public Pool?
• How important do you feel it is for the City of Oxford to provide expanded aquatic/recreation opportunities for its citizens or visitors?
• What pool features are important to you and others in your household?
• If the City of Oxford were to expand the existing aquatic facilities, would you be in support of an increased admission fee?

The survey was mailed out to everyone with an OPC account. It can also be found on the OPC website under the News & Events tab on the front page or by clicking this link.

According to the OPC, the three-minute survey is an essential tool in planning the new pool, which said it hopes to gain as many responses as possible “to design a facility that accommodates a large and diverse group of users.”

All of the responses are anonymous and the survey will remain up through January.

The current City Pool, built in 1978, is showing its age. The Oxford Board of Aldermen and the Oxford Park Commission have been spending thousands of dollars to put “band-aids” on the pool and its deck to keep it open.

In September, the Board of Aldermen approved hiring PryorMorrow, the architecture firm that presided over the design and construction of the Ulysses “Coach” Howell Activity Center, to determine the feasibility of building a new public pool.

Preliminary plans call for building a new pool somewhere inside Stone Park.