BANDON - Volunteers working to raise money for a public swimming pool in Bandon say their efforts won't be taxing on the community, at least not when it comes to property taxes.

Bandon Swimming Pool Committee members, however, are appealing to the community to get behind the $3 million project.

It's been almost 60 years since the community has operated a public pool. There was one once at Coquille Point, but it was destroyed by the 1936 fire.

“But this is Bandon and Bandon's amazing and if (residents) want a pool, we'll get it.” said pool committee board member Lynn Giovannetti.

Plans call for a covered, six-lane pool to accommodate a regulation swim team. The facility would include a family changing room, and men's and women's changing rooms, along with first-aid and meeting rooms and a snack bar/store. Pool supporters have leased land for the facility from the Bandon School District adjacent to 11th Street and west of the softball fields, for $1 a year. An architectural drawing has been completed by architect Lee Kersh of Eugene, as well as geo-technical reports on the site. The group is pulling in grants and the nonprofit committee has about $60,000 in the bank.

“That meets our expectations for our first year,” Giovannetti said.

When it comes to operation costs, committee members say taxpayers won't get those bills, which are estimated at $107,000 annually, either. They are coming up with a plan to fund pool operations through revenues. That might include receipts from memberships, classes, pool parties, special programs and profits from the store, and someday revenue from a pay-to-play swim team.

“We feel we've been really conservative with these numbers,” said committee member Wendy Lucas.

Pool committee members hope to raise the funds and break ground within the next three years.

“It all depends on how much money we get and how fast,” said Mike Sterling, pool committee president.

The monthly Trunk of Treasures sale in the VA Clinic parking lot on the first Saturday of each month is adding to the pool fund. For more information on the pool project, those interested can call Sterling at 347-3303.