Vigo Pool Plan - $18m + ISU Swimming "Reinstatement"

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It's amazing how "pet projects" like this spring into the news during the HEAT of the Summer...
Isn't this the SAME school administration that recently took an ax to M.S. sports budgeting? It might be time for Vigo Co. to be seriously examining new school board options in the next couple of elections.:wacko:

Where's the BALANCE? Has talk of ISU restoring SWIMMING ever seriously been discussed by RP & others? Hell, SWIMMING was never one of ISU's powerhouse sports "back in the dayz." Why float the idea now? :smack:

Pet project$...by a $mall group of organized diehard$, have NO CREDIBILITY during an era of public budget $licing.
 
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I don't know, done well, the county's proposal could be a great thing for Terre Haute. Potentially could generate some tourism, the people of TH could have a wonderful new "park" that would be great for them and improve the quality of life in TH, the school corporation could have a seriously first-class facility to utilize for their swimming programs, RHIT and ISU could utilize the facility for not only swimming competitions, but also for athletic training and kinesiology classes (among other things). Sounds to me like there might be a lot of upside to this proposal. Of course, it has to be done RIGHT, which is where TH has usually had problems in the past.

Just because it's a bit different doesn't automatically mean it's bad. It could be, but it's worth some investigation, I think.
 
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The idea seems a lil' gilded to me...throwing the idea of ISU collegiate programming within a "prospectus," when we haven't had a swim program for how many years...almost three decades? There are numerous capital project plans in ISU Sports that take preference over the pipe dreams of a few select families in TH. Seems to me like this idea has tried to touch as many marketing dimensions as possible in order to justify the $18m expense. Holiday World? Hell, season passes for ALL Vigo County school children wouldn't cost $18m, and that would include FREE BQ from the nearby farms - PORK, of course. While we're at it, let's also include a "Santa Claus Land" Winter X-Games training facility...what's another $10m for added frills? Just think of the "tourism"...we shouldn't stray so far from the cardinal objectives of public "education."

Again, the Vigo Schools are NOW forcing M.S. children to find their own transportation to games, because of budget issues.
Now this???? What a farce...
 
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Hey, it worked for Carmel at the Monon Center, Plainfield too. Not saying it is the best use of funds upfront, but if it works, it works...
 

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This would be an asset to the city of Terre Haute, not just the school corporation. It deserves a lot of consideration before the final decision is reached. I know it may sound silly , but if just one kid each decade learns to swim and therefore avoids downing. . .well, that's priceless.
 
Doesn't the YMCA still have an early childhood "learn to swim" program? IN Dept of Ed did away (privatized) w/ "Drivers Ed" years ago...I see school-sponsored competitive swimming in the same mold. You don't need an $18m facility to teach "basic principles" of swimming...
 
BankShot said:
Doesn't the YMCA still have an early childhood "learn to swim" program? IN Dept of Ed did away (privatized) w/ "Drivers Ed" years ago...I see school-sponsored competitive swimming in the same mold. You don't need an $18m facility to teach "basic principles" of swimming...
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Thought the YMCA closed?
 
BankShot said:
Doesn't the YMCA still have an early childhood "learn to swim" program? IN Dept of Ed did away (privatized) w/ "Drivers Ed" years ago...I see school-sponsored competitive swimming in the same mold. You don't need an $18m facility to teach "basic principles" of swimming...
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I assume, then, that you are adamantly against spending any money to build, renovate, or refurbish any high school gymnasiums, football fields, or baseball fields, whether owned by the school corporation, county, city, or any other government entity, right?
 

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Jason Svoboda said:
Thought the YMCA closed?
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Doesn't the "Y" in Fairbanks Park (unisex) have a pool?

Terre Haute is NOT Carmel or Newburgh. If you haven't noticed this, take a jaunt thru NTH or WTH and examine some of the pockets of residency. If you're still not convinced, check the tax base of residents, which is where the $$$ will originate to pay for the proposed $18m pool.
 
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BankShot said:
Did I say that, or are you extrapolating in the same fashion of those in the TH Tribstar article?
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Just following your logic - it's too expensive to provide this for students, and is too "gilded", and is too (insert reason here). I just figured you'd find any spending on athletics to be poorly spend, particularly when other needs are going unaddressed. Just trying to follow your logic...:angel:
 
I'm trying to follow the Vigo School Board "logic," given their recent decision terminating bus transportation for MS sports. Not enough $$$ for this, but they can come up w/ $18m for a new pool?:whiteflag:

Thus the concept "gilded" emerged...

Weren't the pools @ THN & THS built the same time as the gymnasium(s)? You'd have thought that if they'd been maintained properly over the years (thru the very same tools of REVENUE PRODUCTION that were proposed in the meeting last week) they'd be self-perpetuating and have no need for public bond support?
 
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BankShot said:
I'm trying to follow the Vigo School Board "logic," given their recent decision terminating bus transportation for MS sports. Not enough $$$ for this, but they can come up w/ $18m for a new pool?:whiteflag:

Thus the concept "gilded" emerged...

Weren't the pools @ THN & THS built the same time as the gymnasium(s)? You'd have thought that if they'd been maintained properly over the years (thru the very same tools of REVENUE PRODUCTION that were proposed in the meeting last week) they'd be self-perpetuating and have no need for public bond support?
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The school board isn't proposing $18M for this facility. VIGO COUNTY is looking at paying $18M for it. The school board is proposing a central pool facility costing about $8.5M. The pools in the high schools are about 10 years past the end of their useful life.
 
So why the difference of almost $10m?

This $18m figure is almost double the cost of Hulman Center...40 yrs. later. I see a # of local "fat cats" greasing their palms on the deal.

Rather than burden the public, why don't the pool supporters petition local industry (many who are already on 10 yr + property tax deferral programs) to fund a major portion of the costs?
 
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BankShot said:
So why the difference of almost $10m?

This $18m figure is almost double the cost of Hulman Center...40 yrs. later. I see a # of local "fat cats" greasing their palms on the deal.

Rather than burden the public, why don't the pool supporters petition local industry (many who are already on 10 yr + property tax deferral programs) to fund a major portion of the costs?
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Totally different proposals. One is for a multipurpose aquatics facility for use by the schools, colleges, people of Vigo County, etc. The other is simply a pool facility that meets current competition standards for the three Vigo County high schools.
 
Colleges? I thought ISU had a nice pool N of Cunningham library for student recreation? Again, there's been NO TALK whatsoever about ISU restarting a collegiate swimming program. To throw this into the formula is absurd.

Why should TH tax $$$ fund 'frills for Rose Hulman, a private school whose graduate starting salaries are more than double those of ISU? Gee, you'd think Rose Hulman could design their own "state of the art" aquacenter, utilizing the latest principles in marine engineering? Why do they need to "share" a Vigo public facility? What else does RH "share" w/ the community, or would this set a precedent?

Read the "comments" following this article reflecting on the Vanderburgh County (Evansville) pool situation:

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2013/feb/16/swimming/

Not all school systems in Indiana are "selling their souls" for such projects...but then again, E-ville's closer to HOLIDAY WORLD.:wacko:
 
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I think the idea of the new aquatic center is a wonderful idea. And I think that it could be even better if ISU, RH, and the City of T.H. contributed to expand the projects scope and while attempting to keep cost down for each institution involved. A state of the art aquatic center would be in line with the same thinking that led to the creation of the Levin Gibson Championship Cross Country Course. A project like this would also be a great opportunity for each institution to work together creating a better bond between ISU and the T.H. community, and possible future collaborations. I can understand Bankshot's grievances, but a successful aquatic center that would lead to NCAA championships or to a possible ISU Olympic swimmer would benefit T.H., ISU, and VCSC in the long run by expanding ISU's national, and possibly international exposure.
 
Before ISU spends any money on supporting a sport they do not field shouldnt they spend the money on the sports they do ? I mean any money ISU would contribute should be spent on the sports they currently have i.e football
 
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