MLK Community Center pool to be heated

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

There’s good news for fair-weather Key West swimmers at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Community Center. The public swimming pool is going to be heated.

The number of swimmers in the popular Bahama Village pool falls off significantly in the winter months, when the temperature in the unheated waters falls below the comfort level of many residents. But a new solar pool heater is going to be installed as part of a larger project to replace the roof.

Key West City Commissioners on Dec. 6 accepted the low bid from A-1 Property Services, Inc., a Miami-based contractor, to replace the roof. But when the roof replacement portion cost came in $50,000 lower than the $200,000 commissioners had earlier allocated for the job, the two bidders were able to add three other “wish list” elements to the project. Those included installing a solar pool heater, applying a roof sealant to community center entryway and lightning protection.

“It’s so cold from December to April that you cannot swim in it,” said local resident Judy Martinez at the Dec. 6 meeting, urging commissioners to award the bid.

With the three project additions, the total bid from A-1 was $177,000. With previously-spent design and lead paint testing fees, the total project cost will be $214,436. The $14,000 overage will be covered by a budget transfer out of Infrastructure Surtax Reserves, according to Project Manager Janet Muccino.

“The community center serves a large number of people on a daily basis primarily for swimming and after-school classes,” Muccino said an executive summary to City Manager Jim Scholl.

Scholl, while happy with the A-1 bid – it was over $100,000 lower than the only other bidder, Pedro Falcon Contractors – was not quite as thrilled as Martinez with the new pool heater.

“I don’t think that water is very cold. But, hey, I grew up in Ohio,” he said, laughing.

Bid were received Oct. 16. Commissioners voted unanimously to award the bid to A-1. Work is expected to begin two weeks after the final contract is signed.

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