City money not needed for Tosa pool project

No city money is needed for the new Tosa pool, so the president of the Friends of Hoyt and Pool has asked that any consideration for funding be removed from tonight’s Budget and Finance Committee agenda.

Friends President Denise Lindberg said several aldermen had requested an update on the nonprofit group’s fundraising progress and ideas of how the city can contribute.

“Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool is fully funded by private donations for all necessary design and construction costs and for all equipment needed for opening the new Tosa Pool facility,” she wrote in a letter to Wauwatosa City Administrator James Archambo today. “In addition, per the terms of our 55-year lease with Milwaukee County, we have funds set aside to fully fund a $1 million operations endowment to cover any future unexpected operational costs not covered by normal revenues. Therefore, we do not need to receive any funds from the city of Wauwatosa, but certainly appreciate the alders’ interest regarding such support.”

The group already had raised $7.8 million of the initially anticipated $8 million price tag to construct a new pool and significantly renovate the pool house. Since submitting information to the city April 14 about aspects that still needed funding, an additional private $50,000 donation came in. Those dollars will allow the Friends to replace the roof on the old portion of the pool house and take care of miscellaneous extras such as restoring 16 lighting sconces in the Grand Hall.

Lindberg took issue with an article on WauwatosaNOW.com that said the project was facing a shortfall, because she said it sent an incorrect message that the pool would open May 28 without amenities laid out in the original plan.

The unfunded equipment and renovations are extras that came up along the way that would enhance the overall project, Lindberg said.

Aspects such as canopies to cover the open-air changing area ($40,000), a galley kitchen for groups to use in the community room of the pool house ($35,000) and starting blocks to be used on eight lap lanes by the Recreation Department’s swim team ($12,000) will be added as future private donations come in, she said.

Donations also will go toward a programming reserve fund and to make regular upgrades to the facility such as deck furnishings and a second slide at some point.