In 2009, the City began a study of the four recreation buildings in Redmond. The purpose of this was to assess the building condition and the potential future recreation uses of the Redmond Senior Center, Old Fire House Teen Center, Old Redmond School House Community Center (leased from LWSD), and the pool at Hartman Park. The Redmond Recreation Buildings Design Study report dated June 16, 2011
can be found here.
As part of this study, a survey of Redmond households was conducted. From a list of indoor recreation amenities, the respondents indicated what was strongly needed or somewhat needed in Redmond:
- Indoor swimming/aquatic center - 64%
- Indoor running/walking track - 55%
- Theater for performing arts - 52%
- Multipurpose space for classes, meetings - 52%
- Indoor playground - 52%
Recreation Buildings Master Plan
In 2013, the Parks and Recreation Department began the next phase of planning. The draft final report of the Recreation Buildings Master Plan dated March 25, 2014, can be found here.
The purpose of the master plan study was to develop a comprehensive approach to guide future decision making about the four buildings, as the Parks and Recreation Department is having mixed success in serving the current recreation needs of the community. Given the age and condition of the existing facilities, the ability of the City to meet future recreation needs is uncertain.
As part of this planning, consultant NAC Architecture developed five preliminary concept options:
- Renovate all four existing buildings
- Construct a new community center on municipal campus and renovate the Senior Center
- Renovate and expand Old Redmond School House CC and renovate/expand Senior Center
- Construct a new community center on the Old Post Office/Fire Station/Skate Park site and renovate/expand Senior Center
- Construct a new community center on a downtown site and renovate/expand Senior Center
Also in 2013, the City commissioned a consultant to conduct a building condition assessment of many City buildings. This report stated that the four buildings used for recreation are in various states of physical condition (good, fair and poor).
Recommended Community Center Concept Option
Focus groups and community meetings were conducted. Based on the public feedback, two options were further investigated and revised concepts were developed. The recommended concept option, with an estimated total project cost of $69-71 million, was:
- Renovate and expand Senior Center (4,000 SF expansion proposed)
- Replace the ORSCC and pool with a new recreation, aquatics community center on municipal campus, along with additional structured parking
- Replace the Teen Center (or include in the new community center facility)
(Pictured below: Architectural concept community center)
The recommended concept was a building program of 85,600 square feet, including: two gymnasiums; 25 yard lap/competition pool; recreation/wellness pool; cardio weight room; walking/running track; locker and family changing rooms; party rental rooms; indoor play space; arts and education classrooms; dance and exercise studios; offices, mechanical, storage and support spaces. (Pictured below: Architectural concept of main level and upper level - click on images to zoom)
Parks and Trails Commission Recommendation, June 2014
In response to the option proposed in the draft final report, the Parks & Trails Commission made the following recommendation to City Council:
- Replace ORSCC and Pool at Hartman Park with a new community recreation center with the conceptual building (85,600 SF with aquatics, gym and classrooms)
- Build structured parking
- Renovate, expand, and integrate the Senior Center building with the purpose of expanding general recreation programs in that space
- The Senior Center renovation and expansion should be a part of funding with the Aquatic and Recreation Center
- Replace the teen center
- Support continued planning and design (Senior Center, Teen Center and arts facility needs assessment)
- The commission also encouraged Council to keep other site options open, to acknowledge parking and access issues with the civic campus site
- To the extent possible, strategic partnerships should be considered for capital leveraging and/or reduction of operating costs
Municipal Campus Options
City Council asked that staff and the consulting architectural team study a combined recreation, aquatics and senior center building concept on the site of the existing Senior Center. This work was completed in November 2014. A building concept of 115,400 SF was developed, adjacent to the Sammamish River on municipal campus, at an estimated cost of $69-70 million. The building program included a recreation/fitness zone with aquatics, exercise and gyms, an arts/education zone with classrooms, multipurpose/performance space and commercial kitchen/dining, and a senior zone. During this phase of the study, the project team also evaluated a number of potential sites on municipal campus for a building and structured parking. The Supplemental Report for the Combined Recreation, Aquatics and Senior Center Building Concept, dated November 18, 2014, can be found here.
(Pictured below: Architectural concept of combined buildings)
Private Property Options
In the next phase of the study, staff researched and rated a number of private properties as possible locations for a replacement community center in the downtown area. These sites were reviewed with Council in April 2015. Council directed staff to develop building massing studies for two sites, in addition to reviewing traffic volumes, property tax, and business revenue information. This work was completed and presented to Council in July 2015. Estimated costs for the options on private properties were in the range of $50–60 million, exclusive of property acquisition.
Parks and Trails Commission Recommendation, July 2015
The commission recommended the following:
- Rebrand the name to “Redmond Community Center”
- Reengage the stakeholders group starting in 2016
- Provide funding in the 2017-2018 Budget for further planning and development
Current Status of Pool at Hartman Park
In recent months, the pool has required increased maintenance and repair. In January 2016, City Council approved funding for up to $100,000 in limited repairs for the Hartman Park pool systems and equipment. The repairs are intended to provide pool “life support” in the near term so that current aquatics programs and services to the community can continue for an undetermined period of time. However, with the proposed repairs, and limited re-investment, there is no guarantee that a major system failure requiring significant expenditure will be avoided in the future, which would result in pool closure. The repairs to the boiler controls, water pump and dampers are expected to be completed in March 2016.
During this period, however, it is the plan that the City and WAVE Aquatics would work cooperatively to inform and educate pool users and the public about the issues and to develop plans in the event the pool must be closed. With the completion of the limited repairs, it is hoped that the pool will remain in operation for twelve to twenty-four months. This would allow time for WAVE and the City to develop a resource list of regional aquatics programs and school district users to make alternate plans for swim team practices and competitions.
Background about Hartman Park Pool
The pool was constructed in 1970. A major renovation was done in 1996. When the City acquired the pool in 2010, an aquatics consultant conducted a study of the pool condition. The City completed some $135,000 of the recommended $375,000 in major repairs in 2010-2011.
In 2013, another assessment of the pool and building condition was completed. That study found $2.9 million in observed deficiencies and recommended further investigation of a number of systems and issues.
The recommendation of the original design study and the 2013 master plan study was that no future significant reinvestment be made in the existing pool. This is because the condition of the 44-year old building, the pool design and configuration, and the site (location, parking, and size) do not adequately serve the aquatics programming needs of the community currently or in the future. There is limited potential for increased revenue generation, and given the current pool condition, and limited potential for return on the City’s investment in the long term.
(Pictured below: Hartman Pool)