What’s the latest with the planned North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center?

What’s happening with the North Domingo Baca Aquatic Center?

At Monday’s City Council meeting, Municipal Development Department Director Patrick Montoya said the aquatic center’s splash pad should be completed at the end of the month — “assuming we have no earthquake, hurricane, or winter storm.”

Major infrastructure construction on the expansive project at North Domingo Baca Park, 7521 Carmel NE, is expected to start this fall, starting with a retaining wall along the hill.

The project has been long-awaited. In 2004, a revised master plan for the park was publicized, which included proposals for a pool complex.

In the years since, the aquatic center has received several waves of funding. In 2016, a request for proposal for architectural services for the pool was published in the Journal.

Although infrastructure construction for the aquatic center is imminent, city officials said at the Monday meeting the project is yet to be fully funded. The aquatic center is currently about 80% funded, at $46 million, and is pending $6 million in bonds that will go in front of voters this November.

Chief Administrative Officer Lawrence Rael estimated that the project will in total cost between $56 million and $58 million.

The next steps are undecided. Currently, the city is waiting on pricing for infrastructure from the contractors that are building the splash pad, Basic IDIQ. Phase 1 could potentially include the planned natatorium or outdoor pool. Before Phase 1 can start, however, designs need to be finalized and brought to the Planning Department for permitting. From there, an RFP will be put out, and by January or February next year, a city spokesperson said, a bidder should be selected and will be able to start construction.

Construction on the retaining wall and other infrastructure projects can begin before the RFP or permitting process.