The new bubble for the Kedron pools is expected to be operational by the end of the month, according to city officials.
The bubble exterior has been delivered and staff is finalizing some issues with the mechanical equipment before it can be erected, officials said.
The project has faced delays and cost overruns because of a number of problems, some of which were discovered prior to construction and others that came to light as
construction progressed after a September start. The initial bid for the project also came in at $96,000 over the initial estimate.
Problems with the existing anchoring system added an another $108,000 to the tally, which is expected to end well north of $454,000 approved by council in June. In October, the city council approved an additional repair amount up to $100,000 to cover problems with electrical issues and unplanned waterline extensions.
Council has agreed to fund the bubble replacement over a 10-year period with funds from a $3 million bond aimed at repairing and upgrading city facilities.
The bubble replacement includes not just a new bubble exterior but also a new air exchange system for the facility.
City officials are hoping they will get 20 years or more from the new bubble enclosure.
The downtime for the bubble this year forced all five Fayette County high school swim teams to scramble to find practice time at other area facilities. The teams also traditionally hosted several meets at the Kedron pools.
