ST. CLOUD - Members of the St. Cloud City Council continue to have concerns about the plan for the Aquatic and Community Center.  The council discussed the design and budget during a work study session this (Monday) evening.

After seeing the updated designs, Dave Masters says he still sees it as "a nice YMCA. Not an aquatic center". While Carol Lewis says she would like to find a way to build the outdoor part of the project right away, to accommodate the people who want more water features. And George Hontos says "it's hard for him to imagine that if St. Joseph builds an outdoor water park that it won't impact the St. Cloud facility". Hontos says he's also concerned about annual costs to taxpayers, like: insurance, water and sewer, and yard maintenance.

Meanwhile, YMCA Executive Director Greg Gack, which is partnering with the city on the project, says the plan matches what the community says they want.

Masters also lobbied for the possibility of moving the project away from the Whitney Park site, and consider utilizing the St. Cloud Tech building - if voters approve building a new Tech High School in the fall.

The estimated cost to build the Aquatic and Community Center is just under $25 million, which is down from the original estimate of $27 million. About $22.4 million has been raised so far. The construction timeline is dependent on how soon all of the money can be raised, but the hope is to break ground this fall.

The updated designs include an eight-lane lap pool, and a zero entry family pool with a slide. There’s a kids zone, two racquetball courts, and three basketball courts.

It's expected that a daily pass to use the facility is going to be somewhere around $4.50 to $5 a day.

More From AM 1240 WJON