After 33 years. The Bob Welch Aquatic Center’s mechanics are limping along and, and, says the manager, major repairs and upgrades need funding. Address: 780 West Fourth Street.
Immediate need: Stain removal to aid lifeguards’ view
WINONA, Minn. – The municipal Bob Welch Aquatic Center, now 33 years old, needs $1 million for repairs and upgrades. Patrick Menton, city recreation facilities director, said that necessary mechanical upgrades, include a new filter system, pump, pool heater, and chemical controller. Of the original 1990 system, only the main pool pump has not needed band-aid fixes and, with other new components, it too would need replacing, Menton said. The Bob Welch facility, on West Fourth Street, includes an Olympic pool for laps, a 250-foot water slide, a bocce ball court, two diving boards, and wading areas. One immediate need, Menton said, is removing built-up dark stains that obscure lifeguards’ view of swimmers. The proposed repairs could be spread over there years, he said. The proposal has gone to the City Council to consider for financing through municipal borrowing.