The cover of today's New River Valley Current included a teaser at the bottom of the front page: "COMING SATURDAY: Director of Aquatics Terry Caldwell reveals her business plan for the aquatics center."
That story by Lerone Graham can now be read here. As we reported in the March 3 Town Council notes, a copy of this long-awaited plan was distributed to members just before the close of that meeting.
This draft document can be viewed at a website provided by a citizen, yet is not posted on the town's website. The blog link to this document is already generating comments from electronic pundits, but that's to be expected. We've blogged on this topic numerous times, as can be seen here or by doing a "Search this blog" field found at the left, using the word aquatic.
This project was conceptualized 15 years ago, with work stretching out over the past seven years and an opening date which continues to fade into some nebulous point in the future (with tentative events scheduled as early as mid-April). Note an area triathlon has been rescheduled for October.
Even some council members had gotten somewhat tired of waiting for a business plan. We think people are right curious about the product and services, especially since it has never been clear how a community pool costing a few million transitioned to an aquatics facility costing about $16 million. Throw in a $1.33 million annual operating cost (on top of other multi-million dollar town recreation operational budgets), and of course tax payers want answers. The advisory board appointed by the mayor last December will have its first meeting and tour the facility on March 11, as well.
Even if readers are dissatisfied with the process to this point, the answers being sought now should be focused on how this venture will be made into a regional success. Whether it can become a cornerstone for economic development and source of new tax revenues for the town -- mitigating potential risks of being a financial albatross for residents -- is what citizens should be trying to understand. It will take another two to five years until the concept and business plan can be fully assessed.