WEEK OF NOVEMBER 21, 2024
VOLUME 20 | ISSUE 21
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Brand new Arvada Aquatics Center set for Nov. 23 grand opening
What will become of Feret’s council seat as she moves onto the state house? BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The inside of the Arvada Aquatics Center, with the Myrtha pool at center.
Replacement for dated Meyers Pool to make longawaited debut BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Forty-five years after Meyers Pool opened its doors, a new natatorium is coming to town; the Arvada Aquatics Center. The Arvada Aquatics Center — or AAC, as the building’s exterior signage displays — will debut to the public with a grand opening celebration that will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 23 and include a ribbon cutting, facility tours, and family-friendly activities. The 50,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility includes a 50-meter Myrtha com-
petition pool manufactured in Italy, a secondary 25-yard pool with warmer water for swim lessons and exercise classes, a diving well, a spectator seating area for over 800 spectators and on-deck seating for over 600 and ADA accessible locker rooms. City of Arvada Project Manager Kim Vagher said the project shows the benefit of local government agencies working together, as the AAC was completed through an intergovernmental agreement between the City of Arvada, Jefferson County Public Schools and the Apex Parks and Recreation District. “The completion of this state-of-the-art aquatics facility has been a once-in-alifetime opportunity,” Vagher said. “This project exemplifies the great work we can accomplish to improve access to highquality competition and recreation amenities when we come together as partner organizations. “Jeffco Public Schools and Apex Park
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and Recreation District have been critical in the success of the project and the investment in the quality of life for the Arvada community and swimmers and divers throughout the region,” Vagher continued. Robert McDonald, Principal in Charge and Project Manager at Ohlson Lavoie Corporation, the architects behind the project, highlighted the use the pool has for competitions — the diving well is equipped with three 1-meter-springboards, three 3-metter springboards, and a 3-meter and 5-meter platform, making it the only facility of its caliber in Colorado besides the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. “The Arvada Aquatics Center represents the future of recreation and competition for our community,” McDonald said. “With its comprehensive design, this facility not only provides a space for athletic excellence but also strengthens our community bonds.”
What happens when an Arvada city councilmember moves onto bigger things? The city is currently getting a crash course in council succession procedure, as At-Large City Councilmember Lisa Feret recently won the Colorado House District 24 seat and resigned from council. What unfolds next is a process Arvada hasn’t seen since 2014, when then-City Councilmember Rachel Zenzinger became a state senator and left a vacant seat on council, which was filled by Gerald Marks by appointment. Feret resigned from city council on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 — a decision she felt was “fitting” because she is the first female veteran to serve on city council. Applications to fill the seat for the rest of Feret’s term, which expires in 2025, may be submitted to the city clerk’s office until midnight on Nov. 24. From there, all six remaining councilmembers will review every application with a rubric before narrowing down the field to an unspecified number of finalists. The finalists will be posted on the city’s website on Dec. 3, at which time the public can comment on the finalists to the city clerk. The deadline for public comments is Dec. 10. Finally, the remaining six members of council will interview the finalists on Dec. 13, followed by a vote by city council, which will finalize the appointment. The swearing-in will be held sometime after then, at a time agreed upon by city council and the appointee. Feret said she hopes her replacement is a “team player.” “The most important quality is the ability to work together and be a team player,” Feret said. “There are a lot of opinions and ideas that council will have to collectively decide on — and they are never easy topics being discussed. The ability to understand other people’s perspectives and respectfully disagree is imperative for the collective success of council and the city.” SEE FERET, P2
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