Lockport pool gets council OK

The Lafourche Parish Council approved $1.5 million in funds to build a pool at the Lockport Community Center by a 6-2 vote with one councilman absent.

“There were not many options to swim around here when I was a kid,” said Dave Defelice, a member of the public who addressed the council before the vote. “I am happy this is being taken under consideration. It would be real nice if all kids had the opportunity to have swimming lessons. Not everyone can afford private lessons.”

Fellow Lafourche Parish resident Tyrone Dominique, who helped evaluate the old Lockport swimming pool, also spoke in favor of the project.

“It’s a good idea to have a swimming pool in the central part of the parish,” Dominique said. “We have eight local swim teams, and Lockport had nowhere to swim. The swim team from Central Lafourche had to use private pools, and that did not do much to build team spirit because they could not all practice in the same place at the same time.

“The parish is long and narrow. To accommodate all of the parish, we must have many resources. I would like you to consider this when you vote.”

Dominique also pointed out that the pool can also be used by other parish residents for other purposes like water aerobics, and the speaker also hoped the pool could be used to host events that would draw people from outside the parish.

“This pool will meet all of the swim team criteria to host state swim meets,” said Councilman Phillip Gouaux. “It will be open to everyone in the parish and will bring people into parish.”

Councilman Jerry LaFont was the first to comment during the council’s discussion of the project.

“Where is the money coming from?” LaFont asked. “What about the insurance costs for the pool? There is a community center eight miles from here. Other pools down the parish were built by the communities, not the parish. We need to look at what we can afford and what we can’t.”

LaFont cited the number of libraries in the parish and a need for pumps in the Larose area as his reasons for not supporting the pool project.

“We are not in the pool business,” he said. “Pumps are the most important part of the parish. Go tell people in those neighborhoods that we are going to build a pool instead of fixing flooding roads. We have pumps in the parish that don’t work. We might have a pool at someone’s house after a storm passes.

“We should have three libraries, not nine. Now we are going to keep building community centers. Think of the cost, the size of the building, the pool. There is no way the state swim meet is going to be here. There are not even enough hotels.”

Councilman John Arnold also asked Parish President Charlotte Randolph where funds for the pool would come from and if that was all the parish would spend on the project and the operation, maintenance and powering of the pool. Like LaFont, Arnold also asked Randolph why the money could not be spent on something else, namely a sidewalk on La. Highway 316 in Bayou Blue in the councilman’s district.

“There is lots of misinformation out there,” Randolph said. “The money is coming from $33 million in recovery money from hurricanes Gustav and Ike. The priorities (for this money) are levees, canals, drainage projects, pump stations and community centers. The list of things (to spend the recovery money on) was approved by the council in 2009. We can’t deviate from the list.

“We had many public hearings, and the state had to approve the projects. The Larose pumps are not on this list. When the list was comprised, we tried to list the most important things in the parish. There is no reason to discuss this. The state has approved the project.”

According to Randolph, funds from Lafourche Recreation District 1’s millage, which generates about $170,000 a year, would be used to run the pool.

“I just want to make sure we are not going to come back later and ask for more money (to run the pool),” Arnold said.

“We are applying for a Gheens Foundation grant, so we may not need the money,” Randolph said.

“Then why not wait on the grant?” Arnold asked.

“The state wants a commitment now,” Randolph responded.

Councilman Daniel Lorraine also expressed concern about the cost of running the pool and cited figures from the operation of other community centers in the parish

“I don’t think the mill will generate enough to pay the expenses of the center and the parish will have to pick up the tab,” Lorraine said.

“I vote for recreation,” said Councilman Joe Fertitta. “It will keep kids off the streets. I’ve heard the pros and cons but this is in the best interest of the parish

LaFont and Jerry Jones voted against the measure. Jones made no comments during the board’s discussion of the topic. Councilman Mike Delatte was not present.