long time gone....you so-o-o called it. Mr. Sheiffer is retiring as of Sept. 2nd.

Wasted money wasted money. Does the city of JANESVILLE really need all of these pools and water parks and hoobha?! Honestly. If the city is so eager to throw money at something throw it at me, or at the delapitated riverside park, that actully has beauty value and potential.
By the way this is not Tom Nimmo! THANK GOD! :)

Reopen Riverside!! Clean and staff Lions Beach. With Palmer, Rockport and the YMCA, what more could a city the size of Janesville ask for?!?!
This city manager must be readying his retirement and sees the pool as some sort of legacy.

I think they should put the money in rockport. Its old and needs to be updated. For my family its boring right now as it is. I would just use my pool in my back yard. If they do put in there 0 depth entrance with along the slides i would get the season pass!!!

I agree with bbwil, I dont see why Rockport pool needs 5 million to fix it. Our city manager is so stubborn it has to be his way or none, lets upgrade the wading pool at Riverside Park and get some families there for pinics etc. I love that park.

What is it with Mr. Sheiffer and Aquatics. First it was the new aquatics facility at a cost of $5 Million or more, now it is Rockport pool and Palmer park wading pool. It seems that he is just aching to spend $5 Million on something. My question is why?

I also have to wonder why a facility that is only used by 15% of the population for only 78 days of the year is the target for this $5 Million expenditure. If the money absolutely has to be spent, find something that a majority of the population uses or don't spend it at all. My taxes went up again this year and I don't relish the thought of them going up again next year due to Mr. Sheiffers desire to spend this money (even if it is only $10). Besides, if Rockport pool and Palmer pool had been taken care of properly over the years I can't believe that the repairs would be in excess of a few hundred thousand for both. There is something fishy going on here, and I don't think it has anything to do with the "quality of life" issue that Mr. Sheiffer claims. Sorry for the rant.

Those of you talking about the YMCA being "old and basic," have you not seen all of the updates they have made very recently? I'm guessing you haven't heard of or seen the new aquatic center.

Anyway, I'm wondering what is wrong with Rockport pool that needs 5 million dollars worth of fixing?

Five million dollars is a lot of money for 3 months of use. Yet a sport that thousands of kids do every day, the city totally ignores them. I am taking about all the kids that are on skate boards. This sport is the fastest growing sport in the nation and is played widely 12 months of the year. I feel if the city wants to spend money lets spend it wisely on some thing that will get some use out of it year around. Cities all around us have put in skate parks. Example Beloit, Whitewater, Delavan, Loves Park, Middleton just to name a few. These cities saw a need for this sport and did something about it. $250,000. would build a very nice park for Janesville. I am sure the skate park committee will be able to come with the rest if needed. Lets encourage our city fathers not to look the other way when they see a kid on the skate board doing damage to your property because he or she has no place to go. It is so easy to call the police and make a complaint against the skater but will not give them a place to skate safely.

MYTAKE4U if you are so confident that thier is a market for this in Janesville why don't you raise the capital to do it and start your own sprts center as a for profit business?

If "the revenue will be there," don't you think a private venture would have already capitalized on it?

Keep taxes out of it.

spot on cap! janesville could use something like that. i had suggested a sports center. we missed the big opportunity for one sports/entertainment venue last year because of perinoia that someone might make a buck or 2. come on janesville, we can do it. the revenue will be there. build it and they will come.

It's to bad the city will not improve the water quality at lions beach, the most they would have to do is cut the weed bed in Atlas Pit and clear any blockage in the stream beds to get the water flowing better and maybe the fishing would be improved.

I see that option one includes a "zero-depth entry." Does this mean another lap pool in Janesville will be lost?

I would feel much better if the city borrowed 5 million dollars, charging me 15 bucks a year, to provide education scholarships, and counseling to motivated individuals that couldn't otherwise afford an education. That money would be repaid in so many ways, like increased tax base, more community-minded individuals wanting to give back what they've gotten, less crime, and generally happier people.

Having lived in other states it seems to me that perhaps instead of putting all the money into upgrades to existing outside pool perhaps they should look into a recreation center that has pool, slides, raquetball, etc activities that can be used year round. Sometimes it is too sunny or rainy to go outside. YMCA is old and basic. Rec centers are usually new and modern and kids love them. A pool that can be used just in summertime for all that money seems to be a waste.

Thank goodness the city has come to its senses. Destroying Palmer Park for a 78-day-per-year waterpark facility was an asinine idea at best. Upgrade Rockport, maintain Palmer Park wading pool, and re-open the wading pool at Riverside. Charge higher admission for non-Janesville residents!