For the last several years, our family pool would seem fine when we opened it. However, as the summer wore on, I needed to add water more and more frequently.
Last summer I finally investigated the problem. A leaking water line was the diagnosis, but efforts to divert the water to another line were not successful and the pool kept losing water.
Repairing the leak would require removing the current liner and putting in a new liner once the leak was fixed. Additionally, the concrete around the pool was cracking and crumbling.
After pricing the cost of all the repairs, my husband and I made the difficult decision to get rid of the pool. My kids are all grown and my husband and I don’t use the pool enough to justify the expense.
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Columbus has a similar situation with the FairOaks Mall. The mall seemed to be doing well, but slowly stores left. No one was interested in buying and rejuvenating the mall. Donner Center also needs repairs and the best use of this site has been under discussion.
Last year, the City of Columbus and Columbus Regional Health decided to buy the mall property to use as a community wellness, recreation and sports center. New uses for Donner Center, along with a plan for the land surrounding the mall and connections to trails and parks, are also being considered as part of the master plan.
Once my husband and I decided to demolish our pool and fill in the hole, we had to determine what to do with the space. My husband wants to put a hot tub in somewhere and I want someplace to relax and a space that is low maintenance. We also solicited opinions from my children and ended up with a variety of ideas: a gazebo, garden boxes, a giant half pipe, a rocket launching pad, trees, statues, formal gardens, a giant bird bath. We’re still weighing our options since the space is not ready yet.
As the Columbus community, we now have the opportunity to share our ideas for the mall property. The design group, MKSK, is now soliciting opinions on what to do with the space. You can be part of this process by contributing your ideas at a public input session. The first session was held conducted July 11. The next session will be held 6 to 8 p.m. Aug 13 at the FairOaks Mall. Two additional sessions will be conducted in the coming months. The goal is to develop a master plan for the space by the end of the year.
You can also visit reimaginefairoaksmall.com to find more information about the project, to learn how to get involved and to submit comments. Additionally, an online survey to collect public input will be available soon.
Some ideas I’ve heard for this project include indoor sports fields, an indoor pool, an indoor music facility, indoor pickleball courts and spaces for community wellness activities. Additionally, moving the Parks and Recreation offices to the mall site and renovating Donner Center to just support Donner Pool has been suggested.
While every idea may not make it into the master plan, and some ideas might not fit into the overall purpose for the space or be feasible, you can feel like you have had a say by getting involved in the design process. For instance, with regards to my pool, formal gardens don’t fit my desire for something low maintenance while a rocket launching pad is not realistic. However, garden boxes are something we hadn’t thought of and are now part of our plan.
Take the time to attend an input session, visit the website or take the survey when it is available to make your voice heard.
Susan Cox is one of The Republic’s community columnists, and all opinions expressed are those of the writer. She is a mother and an adjunct instructor of English at Ivy Tech Community College Columbus and Indiana University Purdue University Columbus. She can be reached at editorial@therepublic.com.
