MONTE VISTA – Nearly 100 people attended a Rio Grande County public hearing on a proposed $24 million aquatic center in Monte Vista on Monday, Nov. 18, at the Ski-Hi Complex in Monte Vista.  

SLV Aquatics, a non-profit group, led by an eight-member board, made their pitch to the community at the meeting before the Rio Grande County Board of Commissioners. 

The first hurdle for the board is getting the go-ahead from the commissioners, who now have 20 days to determine if they will put it before Rio Grande County voters in May of 2025. The ballot issue would include five questions and all five would have to receive voter approval: 

• Formation of the San Luis Valley Aquatics Park and Recreation District.
• Election of the board of directors of the new district.
• Approval of the operations mill levy of 3.5 mills.
• Approval of bond authorization in the amount of up to $24 million for construction of the San Luis Valley Aquatics Center as described in this service plan (with the accompanying debt service mill levy of 13.36 for a total approximate mill levy of 16.86). This includes contingencies, capitalized interest and cost of issuance.
• “De-Brucing” elimination of Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) and other statutory mill levy/revenue restrictions, with voter approval, as permitted by law (without raising mill levies). “De-Brucing,” is when a local government in Colorado seeks the approval of voters to retain and spend tax revenue in excess of TABOR limits.

Most of the public that spoke were generally in favor of an aquatics center, but were against how it was going to be funded – voter-approved bond and mill levy. 

The SLV Aquatics board attended the public hearing – president Grace E. Young, vice president Jenny Nehring, treasurer Bennie Chacon, secretary John Anderson, board members at large Colleen Vanderpool, Melinda Hunzeker, and Christa K. Davis, and advisory board member at large Sandi Pounder. The organized group led by Nehring gave a detailed presentation of the 23,000 square foot center to the crowd assembled in person and via Zoom. 

According to the group’s website, slvaquatics.org, their “plan is to build an aquatic center with a six-lane 25-yard pool for lap swimming and a separate, adjacent warmer temperature leisure pool for relaxed enjoyment, swim lessons, and exercise and recovery activities. 

“Our financial plan involves obtaining foundation grants and local donations paired with voter approval of a bond and mill levy to build, maintain, and operate the center.” 

If everything went smoothly, the center would open to the public in January of 2029. 

According to the group, this is how the pool would be paid for: 

• 13.36 mill levy (property tax) for bond financing: 4% 35 years to build the $24 million facility.
• 3.5 mill levy (property tax) to generate $325,000 annually toward the projected $650,000 annual operating costs.
• Agricultural lands greater than 40 acres would be excluded from taxing.
• The total 16.86 mill levy will cost property owners $9.41/month per $100,000 of property value. 
• As an example, the average home price in Monte Vista is $244,000 which would experience a $279 annual property tax increase, or $23.25 per month.

Nehring said the center would be an important addition to Rio Grande County and the western edge of the Valley. 

“The San Luis Valley is a little unusual in that we are the geographic size of New Jersey, we have 40,000 people in our community, and we do not have a centrally located indoor public swimming pool in the entire Valley. Communities need these facilities for our economy, and for our social connections. These are important for safety. All children and adults need to learn how to swim and should know how to swim, it’s also a social benefit, and it’s important for youth engagement,” she said. 

Nehring explained that the pool would be in Monte Vista, and they would need at least 5 acres for the facility. There are currently four locations of interest including two locations near Big R, one west of the middle school, and one on the west end of town near Chapman Park. 

The boundaries of the proposed recreation district would exclude Del Norte, which already has a parks and rec district, and South Fork, who has been adamantly opposed to pool projects over the years, according to Nehring.  

Nehring said that with voter approval, the Fassett family has agreed to donate five acres of land, but infrastructure costs would also be different depending on what location was chosen.  

The capital construction grants would also be pursued and used to help fund the project. Foundations had already been contacted, and they have stated their support with voter approval, according to Nehring. 

If allowed to move forward a special election would be held on May 6, 2025. Nehring said that SLV Aquatics would have to fundraise for architects, for the election, for lawyer consultation, and anything else that would be needed for the plan.  

The project has received support from some local organizations and businesses. 

After Nehring’s presentation a question-and-answer period took place.  

One person asked if any impact studies had been done, and if the amount they were requesting was a legitimate amount as they did not have any direct construction plan in place yet. 

Some people stood up and stated that they were homeowners, and they would be happy to pay the extra amount, so that a big facility could come to Monte Vista. They believed it would be a boost to the economy. 

Monte Vista School District Superintendent Scott Wiedeman said he was supportive of the idea, as children could benefit from local swimming lessons. 

“I am here on behalf of our kids and the district. We have had a swim program for our kids since I was in school, that was a long time ago. I spent most of my life swimming. This is good for our kids. We could expand what we do now because we have to drive to Hooper. We could expand from 200 kids to 1,000 kids. As a school district and superintendent, I definitely support it,” he said.  

For more information on the project, visit slvaquatics.org.