Independence aquatics center planner speaks

An Independence man recently met with Fort Scott's Aqua Vision Committee and local residents to share his experience in establishing his home town's aquatic center.

Dave Torbett, who chaired an Independence task force to create its Riverside Beach Family Aquatic Center (RBFAC), spoke at Fort Scott's Aqua Vision Committee meeting last week, which was attended by around 60 community members, according to committee co-convenor Kale Nelson. In an interview with The Fort Scott Tribune on Monday, Torbett said his presentation at the meeting included discussions on how Independence's new aquatic center got started and its positive effects on the town.

Nelson said he was pleased to have Torbett speak at the meeting.

"He doesn't have a vested interest in this," Nelson said. "He just came to share with the people how it's affecting Independence."

Torbett said the RBFAC came about as part of the three-part Quality of Life Project in Independence, which included a new swimming pool and a remodel of Memorial Hall and the public library. He said a sales tax increase was passed to fund the projects.

Torbett said Independence was in need of a new pool because their previous one, an L-shaped pool, leaked around 10 inches every day.

"It got to a point where it was no longer practical to fix it," Torbett said.

Since its inception a few years ago, RBFAC has yielded nothing but positive results for Independence, Torbett said.

"The community really takes pride in it," he said. "Even the doubters came around the block on the situation."

Torbett said proof of its success not only lies in the public feedback, but also by simply observing the number of people who visit the new aquatic center.

"With the old pool, we were probably seeing around 150 to 200 people per day," he said. "We may have had 300 on the weekends, and that's being generous. Concession sales were nominal. With this new pool, which is all outdoors, we're seeing 600 to 800 people per day and somewhere between 1,200 and 1,400 on the weekend."

Included in those large numbers of people, he said, are many from different towns, counties and states. Torbett said that periodically, someone will tour the center's parking lot and observe the license plates of the vehicles. The results include:

* During the week, one-fourth to one-third of the RBFAC's visitors are from out of town.

* On weekends, one-third to one-half of the visitors are from out of town.

* Several out-of-town visitors include those from Iola, Topeka, Fort Scott, Pittsburg and Bartlesville, Okla., among other places.

"It's really become a destination location," Torbett said.

Torbett said the increase in visitors to the pool has also led to a more stimulated local economy, as some of those visitors will eat, shop or simply purchase gasoline in Independence.

Based on what he has seen and what he knows about Fort Scott's proposed aquatic center, Torbett said he thinks it will have a positive impact on this community.

"I like your design, because it really promotes and encourages physical fitness and physical activity," he said. "Also, there will be families going to shop from Franklin, Kan. to Pleasanton and they'll drive by Fort Scott. Once those kids see that pool, don't think for a second that those parents won't be pressured to go back to Fort Scott."

He added that the aquatic center could be a nice pick-me-up for Fort Scott after the devastating downtown fire in March 2005.

"That fire kind of kicked you guys in the teeth a little," he said. "Fort Scott needs something to hold their heads high about. I think this kind of thing can do it."