The Bismarck Park Board will be considering the possibility of a new indoor aquatic center to be constructed starting as early as this year.

A private, nonprofit group will be making a presentation to the board at Thursday's meeting about providing the funds for an indoor facility and then leasing it back to the park district until it's paid off.

According to board president Mark Zimmerman, the site being considered is the current Hillside swimming pool location. The existing facility will be razed and the new year-round indoor complex built in its place.

Zimmerman placed the value of the new facility in the area of $3 million to $4 million.

District facilities manager Jim Peluso feels that the Hillside pool, which is about 60 years old, is on its last leg.

"It's never really had a major overhaul. The underground piping is original and there has been a lot of settling with pipes leaking under the surface," Peluso said. "It's been caulked so many times I'm not sure there is room left for a crack. The water slide has outlived its life expectancy by at least 10 years. We're putting that back together just about every year."

Peluso has been privy to a little bit of the proposed indoor center. He describes preliminary plans as having an Olympic-size swimming pool with an Olympic-size diving bay.

"It's pretty impressive," Peluso said.

Board member John Sagsveen is looking forward to the presentation which is being made by the group led by Dennis Kemmesat.

"I don't know a whole lot about it, but there are going to be a lot of questions that have to be answered," Sagsveen said. "The basic question is whether we can afford it and will the community support in."

Surveys taken by the park district show an indoor swimming pool is among the top priorities of respondents.

Peluso admits the financing of the project is interesting and Sagsveen likes the idea that the private sector is initiating the action.

"I really like the concept of people stepping up to the bat," Sagsveen said. "Getting the community to buy in would be really great. I think the city needs something like this, we're the only major city in the state that doesn't have an indoor pool capable of hosting big meets."

But Sagsveen admits that "it isn't a done deal" and a lot of public input will have to be collected and the schools will have to buy into the project.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 701-250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)