Cost estimates prepared by Missouri-based Counsilman-Hunsaker Aquatics for Life place the estimates between $594,000 to $649,000, Roanoke Rapids Parks and Recreation Director John Simeon told council this evening.

An initial rough estimate by local engineer Jim Miller had placed the cost around $200,000.

Sources have indicated Miller’s comments in May were off-the-cuff and made prior to him doing full research.

The company, which has corporate offices in St. Louis, has a rich portfolio of pool projects including facilities in Raleigh, Greensboro, New Bern, Chapel Hill, Durham and Charlotte, Simeon said.

It was through Miller’s further research he recommended the city consider the Counsilman-Hunsaker estimate.

Simeon told the panel this evening, “Please understand that these are cost estimates and not firm numbers that you would see in requests for proposals.”

The company broke down the cost estimates into two categories — construction costs and professional fees.

The construction cost breakdown is as follows:

Demolition and compacted infill: $40,000

Concrete pool and equipment: $450,000

Soil compaction and concrete testing: $5,000

Electrical panels, wiring and ground grid: $25,000

Equipment room and chemical storage renovation: $10,000

Site plumb, electrical work and landscaping: $10,000

Ten percent contingency: $54,000

Total: $594,000

The professional fees breakdown is as follows:

Counsilman-Hunsaker: $26,000

James Miller & Associates: $24,000

Ten percent contingency: $5,000

Total professional fees: $55,000

Total estimated project cost: $594,000 to $649,000

Simeon told council he and City Manager Joseph Scherer met with Congressman G.K. Butterfield’s office to see if there are federal resources or grants available. “We should hear back from them in about two weeks,” he said.

Simeon and Scherer will also meet with officials with the state Parks and Recreation Trust Fund to discuss other possible resources. That meeting is set for August 7.

Simeon said while the current Chaloner pool is L-shaped and slopes from 3-feet to 5-feet with an approximately 9.5-feet diving area, the city asked for different recommendations. “To try and minimize costs as much as possible, we asked for a 35 by 75 rectangular pool that has a zero-depth entry which extends down to 5-feet water depth.”

That proposal takes out the L-shape and the diving area.

Simeon said he plans to come back to council at its August 15 meeting for an update on the federal and state resources as well as any other possible resources and grants.

“This is a big difference than what we thought it would cost,” Councilman Carl Ferebee said.

“It went from renovation to complete demo and rebuilding,” Simeon said.

Miller told council soil borings ended up showing there was damage to the internal structure of the concrete.

City council in March appropriated $300,000 for the pool project. That money is still being set aside for the project, Scherer said.