The City Council approved Franklin Field on Madison's south side as the location for the city's first public swimming pool Tuesday night.
Philanthropists Robert and Irwin Goodman, who pledged $2 million in June for a municipal pool, prompted the city to determine a suitable location for the facility.
\I am supporting the pool and I think Franklin is a great location,"" said Ald. Andy Heidt, District 13. ""If people looked at things logically, they would see it's the best site for a pool.""
Heidt, whose district the pool will be constructed in, added many neighbors are supporting a pool because they realize it brings a broader range of educational and recreational options for children.
Some neighbors disagreed.
""I was shocked to find out the pool was going in our neighborhood,"" Ed Younger said.
""It's one thing to put a pool in the corner of a park to replace a baseball field,"" he said. ""But it's another thing to lose a baseball, soccer and softball field for an outfit that is only going to be used for three months out of the year.""
Younger, who has lived in close proximity to Franklin Field for over 30 years, added there is already plenty of noise in the neighborhood and adding 800 to 1,000 swimmers per day in a small area like Franklin Field is a bad idea.
Ald. Greg Markle, District 15, is concerned about the pool for environmental reasons.
""The pool will increase the opportunity for algae to grow and make other swimming features worse,"" Markle said.
He added the pool would increase the flow of pollutants and storm water into Lake Monona.
Heidt said Franklin Field is only going to lose one baseball and one soccer field because the City Council is looking into street parking for pool commuters as opposed to constructing a parking lot that would take up more room in Franklin Field.
He added that pool location was on the agenda all summer, so it was not a complete surprise that Franklin Field was chosen.
Markle said the estimated date of completion for the pool is within the next three years, but a lot of things must happen in order for the goal to be reached.
Heidt said the City Council still needs to approve a design from an architect, raise the rest of the money to construct the pool and then receive final approval.
