The Ames City Council unanimously approved recommendations from the Parks and Recreation Commission to build an aquatic center on 13th Street Tuesday night.

Before voting to approve the commission’s recommendations, the council listened to community members’ comments and concerns, which were mostly in favor of building the center at the 13th Street location.

Two community members, Holly Fuchs and Erica Fuchs, expressed concerns about the 13th Street location, including the cost of building at that location, among others.

Most of the community members who spoke at the public forum were in favor of building the center on 13th Street.

“I would like to see a pool that is of the same caliber of Nevada and Boone,” said Angie Strotman, echoing the sentiments of most others present.

Strotman said she was involved in competitive swimming most of her life and would like her children to be able to experience the benefits of a good aquatic center and, like many others who spoke up Tuesday night, believed the center would attract more families to Ames.

Some Ames citizens brought their children or grandchildren to the meeting, providing a physical presence for the arguments of many citizens like Strotman, who expressed a desire for their children to benefit from an aquatic center.

Michael Hamilton said when the issue was previously discussed at City Council meetings, his children were of the age to benefit if the decision to build a center would have been made, but now they are past that age.

“Let’s not let another generation pass by,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton went even further to show his support of the Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommendations; he brought swimsuits which he said he had purchased, and handed one to each city council member as well as Mayor Ann Campbell and Maggie Luttrell, Government of the Student Body ex-officio City Council liaison and junior in history.

After the public forum, the council moved to officially approve the Parks and Recreation Commission’s recommendations and then set the date of July 24 for the special election to be held.

Ryan Doll, 3rd ward councilman, said ISU students wishing to vote on the issue who are not in town could do so by voting absentee.

Luttrell offered her support both of building the center and the July 24 special election date.

“The [student] populace that will be here in the summer will be voting,” Luttrell said.

The council also approved the allocation of $15,000 to survey the 13th Street site and to perform soil borings.

This approval brought forth some discussion and concern in the council, considering the amount of money to be spent before Ames citizens officially put their stamp on building the aquatic center in July.

“From a construction standpoint, this is completely logical,” said Jami Larson, 2nd ward city councilman, who nonetheless expressed some concern about the matter.

After some discussion, however, the council voted unanimously to approve the allocation of the funds, closing the topic of the aquatic center for the evening.