LR directors OK contract to reopen pool

Hydco tapped to do HVAC project at Aquatics Center

Members of the Little Rock Board of Directors during a meeting on Tuesday authorized a contract for up to $2.1 million meant to allow the indoor pool at the Dalton James Dailey Family Fitness and Aquatic Center to eventually reopen.

The indoor pool has been closed since February after a heating, ventilation and air conditioning system that serves the pool area experienced “a complete and non-repairable failure,” according to city board documents.

The lone “responsive and responsible” bid meeting the project’s specifications was received from the firm Hydco.

According to the resolution approved by the city board, the city manager is authorized to pay Hydco up to $2.1 million, with $1.5 million of the sum to be funded using capital-improvement bond proceeds.

City board members gave approval in a voice vote with no opposition.

Leland Couch, the director of the Parks and Recreation Department, recently told city board members during a meeting on the 2024 budget that the replacement process for the HVAC system might take seven months.

The fitness center is located at 300 S. Monroe St.

As an alternative, active monthly members of the fitness center can get access to the indoor pool at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s aquatics center while the indoor pool is closed, according to an announcement the fitness center issued on Facebook earlier this month.

Also during Tuesday’s meeting, a proposed ordinance on the agenda that would remove certain requirements and allow buildings in an Urban Use District to be up to 225 feet high was withdrawn from consideration on a motion from at-large City Director Antwan Phillips.

At the moment, buildings in an Urban Use District may be up to 72 feet high, but meeting certain design criteria can entitle a developer to add to the building’s height for a maximum possible height of 225 feet.

Phillips told city board members that after meeting with members of a mayoral task force on downtown density, which he chairs, and talking to residents, he wanted to remove the proposed item from the agenda to do some more work before bringing it back to the city board.

Phillips suggested the item could come back before the city board sometime early next year.

City Director Lance Hines of Ward 5 had raised

concerns about the proposal at a city board meeting last week, citing the possibility of detrimental effects for those in existing properties who might find their views obstructed by a new 225-foottall building. He also referred to the absence of public input.

Additionally, city board members on Tuesday voted to authorize contracts tied to improvements at Kiwanis Park and Pankey Park as well as the Southwest Community Center.

Landscape Structures, Inc. will build a new custom playground at each of the two parks in exchange for a total of up to $370,000. ACS Playground Adventures has been tapped to build a pavilion at Pankey Park in exchange for up to $60,000. The improvements will be paid for using capital-improvement bond proceeds.

Up to $90,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding will support the construction of shade structures at the Southwest Community Center’s pool through an agreement with GameTime.