Frequently Asked Questions

The City convened a Pool Facility Advisory Committee with 17 residents selected from 163 applicants, representing every part of Shoreline. They spent five months studying the options. Their recommendation: put this measure on the ballot. The committee voted unanimously. This isn't a backroom deal. It's the most publicly vetted capital project in the city's recent history.

The City Council set a hard cap of $100 million and held it by removing amenities to stay within budget. With help from the Pool Facility Advisory Committee, the City selected a design that meets community needs, without providing too much or too little. For comparison: the 2019 bond proposal was 75,000 sq ft. This one is 48,000.

The total estimate includes design, permitting, construction, paying off the property purchase, and related fees and contingencies. The proposed MPD revenue would be used to finance $95 million of one-time project costs, with the balance funded with a grant from King County.

Shoreline's cost estimate for the pool is in line with other aquatic centers in the region. Pools require a more complex system design than a school building or a recreation center. Aquatic centers are among the most expensive building types per square foot because they require industrial dehumidification and corrosion-resistant HVAC systems, plus water treatment and filtration systems.

Prop 1 creates a Metropolitan Parks District (MPD), a Washington state tool that provides dedicated, long-term funding to design, build, maintain and operate parks and recreational facilities. For Shoreline, the MPD would fund the construction and operation of our community pool and aquatic center. This means no competition for the city's general fund and other city budget priorities. There are 23 MPDs across the state of Washington, many of which operate and maintain pool facilities. For example: Colfax MPD, Des Moines Pool MPD, Normandy Park MPD, Odessa MPD, and Tukwila Pool MPD — among others across the state — all function to operate pools in their respective districts.

City staff estimate the Shoreline Pool will have 66% cost recovery — meaning user fees will cover most of the cost. The remaining costs covered by the MPD tax revenue like parks, libraries and community centers. By subsidizing some of the operations and maintenance costs through tax revenue, the City can keep costs lower for users, making the pool more accessible and affordable.

A community pool is an essential, public resource. In addition to what it provides for recreational swimmers of all ages and for our school swim teams, it also helps increase property values, creates local year-round jobs, and is a social hub for neighbors.