Shoreline to place measure on the November ballot to fund a community swimming pool

The city owns the land where it proposes to place a community pool

From the Puget Sound Business Journal

Shoreline lawmakers are pushing a measure on the November ballot that would deliver a new $100 million aquatic center, replacing a city-owned storage facility.

This is the city’s second attempt to finance an indoor pool following a failed 2019 ballot measure to create a new parks and pool bond.

“There’s a lot of disappointment that the previous bond did not pass,” Shoreline City Councilmember Chris Roberts said at Monday’s meeting. “Having a public facility is so important to the health and well-being of the community."

The City Council unanimously passed the resolution Monday night to put the measure on the ballot. If approved by voters, the measure would create a Metropolitan Park District with the same boundaries as the city of Shoreline to levy property taxes to build and maintain a new pool facility and future recreational centers.

The initial taxing rate is expected to be $0.55 per $1,000 and generate $8.8 million annually.

The approximately 48,000-square-foot indoor pool would replace the storage facility at 17828 Midvale Ave N, (close to Shoreline City Hall). The city’s previous 1970s-era pool closed in 2020 due to its age and the impact of the pandemic.

Planning for the project began in 2024. A preliminary design completed in February includes an eight-lane lap pool, a recreation pool with a lazy river feature, a hydrotherapy pool and a sauna. Additional space on the property could allow for another recreation facility, if funding becomes available, according to a staff report.

Construction costs are estimated at $61.2 million, as well as $22.2 million in “soft costs,” which include design and permitting fees.

The city owns the project site but would need to pay off $16.6 million in outstanding debt on the land.

A King County grant would provide $5 million for the project’s construction. Revenue from the new taxing district would fund the remaining $95 million.

User fees and rentals would recover 66% of the pool’s average annual operating costs, with the rest coming from property taxes, according to staff.

If voters approve the measure, construction would begin in the third quarter of 2028.

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