After input from competitive swimmers, older adults and other Ames residents, the council voted at Tuesday’s joint meeting with Ames Parks and Recreation to move ahead with a $23.6 million plan for a recreation and aquatic complex.

In 1998, the Ames City Council asked Parks and Recreation to gather public opinion on swimming facilities in Ames. The commission found most residents thought them inadequate.

The council will discuss proposals to fund the aquatic complex August 26.

Councilman Russ Cross said there was an aquatic center proposed in the early 1990s.

“The high price tag we’re looking at now is the cost of delaying for so many years,” Cross said.

The original plan, presented to the council last fall, cost $21.8 million and included a three-court gymnasium, an indoor pool with six competition lap lanes and an outdoor leisure pool.

The main addition to the new plan is the outdoor leisure pool with a 50 meter, eight lane competitive section.

Duane Sorenson, head coach of the ISU women’s swimming team, said summer swimming meets are held at 50 meter pools.

Sorenson said he wants the recreation and aquatics center to meet the needs of everyone, including divers, fitness swimmers and those who just want to squirt waterguns.

“We need to do what we can for this city because it is growing,” Sorenson said. “I want Ames to be the place people come to, not just for swimming, but for everything.”

The Parks and Recreation Commission also measured public opinion on the proposed connection of the aquatic center with the new Ames Middle School. Eighty percent surveyed supported the joint venture, said Al Oberlander, commission member.

“The shared site allows us to save $2.7 million for taxpayers in Ames,” Oberlander said.

Additional costs of $200,000 to $350,000 would be incurred if the city built the facility at a different time than the school, Oberlander said. For instance, fences would have to be built to keep students out of construction areas, he said.

Oberlander said Ames needs to update its pools because residents are going to other cities to enjoy higher quality swimming facilities.

“There were 8,800 visits to the new Nevada pool from Ames residents last year,” Oberlander said. “Nevada and Boone are siphoning off a number of Ames residents each week.”

Other options to improve Ames pools included building a new aquatic center without the outdoor pool or deepening Municipal Indoor Pool, 20th Street and Ridgewood Avenue.

Concerns about the future of Carr Pool, 1610 Meadowlane Ave., were raised by residents.

Carr Pool needs to remain open for at least two more seasons until the new aquatic center is built, Mayor Ted Tedesco said.