FAQ's
Save The Pool Campaign FAQ’s
Hello and welcome to the answering of questions we keep getting asked! 🙂 We have answered to the best of our ability, but do not 100% know the answer to all of these questions at the moment. The answers come from our collective understanding of how moving forward with a new pool and clubhouse would look and how we plan to get there. If there is a question you have that is not listed, or would like further clarification on, please feel free to reach out to foundationcommunications@myfhpa.org and we can hopefully answer it for you and then add it on here to help others as well! Thanks for your interest in our Save The Pool Campaign.
What is the difference between the Friends of Forest Hills Park Association and the Forest Hills Park Association Pool Board?
Essentially, the Friends of the Forest Hills Park Association is an extension of the FHPA board. Currently our mission is to fundraise for a new pool and clubhouse. Once we have achieved that goal, our mission will shift to continue to ensure funds for the next pool so that future generations will not have the problem of fundraising for a new pool.
Where can we get information about events happening at the pool and park?
Events are listed on our website. Check out the link here—> Forest Hills Park Association
How can we donate to the Friends of FHPA?
There are so many ways! We are so glad that you asked 😊
Online, via credit card, here
Write a check made out to Friends of FHPA and send it to 847 Greenbrier Dr SE
Via a bequest, retirement plan, or life insurance. More information about these options can be found here
You can contact Raechel Morrow, our campaign director, with any further questions at savethepool@myfhpa.org
Will the pool be closed while a new pool is built? How long will it take to build a new pool?
If all goes to plan, we hope to break ground for the new pool the day after the season ends of the year we plan to begin. Ideally the construction should be completed by the following memorial day weekend so that the new pool could reopen for the next season on time. This is something that has the potential to change based on numerous factors. We have been told however, that the above plan is realistic but not guaranteed.
What size will the new pool be?
The plan is to have the new pool follow the footprint of the current pool as closely as possible.
What’s the ramifications of keeping the clubhouse and only building a new pool?
It is a possibility, but challenging and more costly in the long run. We would still need to demo the east portion of the clubhouse where equipment is currently stored and this would have to be re-built. Our bathrooms and showers likely do not meet current codes. Many modifications would need to be made to this space once we start remodeling just to make it code compliant. The other thing that could make keeping the current clubhouse challenging is that the pool is currently grandfathered into and uses a well for water. Once ground is broken to build a new pool, it will no longer be able to use the well and will be required to hook up to the city water system. This is why the quote for a new pool is quite high and another reason splitting the project would be more complicated and challenging than moving forward with the entire project at once.
What happens if we don’t raise enough money to build a new pool and clubhouse?
If we do not raise enough money to move forward with a new pool and clubhouse, we will revisit our goal and adjust accordingly. It is hard to say exactly what a ‘Plan B’ might look like, but things that would be considered would be how short of our 2.9 million dollar goal we are and how likely it would be that we could split up the project and successfully fundraise at a later date to complete the project. The thing that we do know is that all money already donated would 100% go toward the betterment of the park as a whole.
Why don’t we just force everyone in the neighborhood to pay $7,200 and then we would have a pool?
In speaking with a lawyer who specializes in real estate and HOA, our neighborhood has no leverage (besides the inability to join the pool) to enforce an assessment. There is a possibility that we, as a neighborhood, could vote to create an HOA and then charge a monthly fee, but the votes needed to do something like that are extremely high and would be nearly impossible to achieve according to the lawyer.
Do the food trucks give money towards the pool?
No, they do not.
If a large donor has naming rights, could they change the name of the pool?
Yes. If a person were to make a donation of 1 million dollars, they would have the opportunity to rename the pool. It doesn’t necessarily mean they would, but it would be an option if they wished to do so.
Why does it cost so much money to build a community pool?
Pools and construction costs have risen dramatically over the decades, just like food and housing and everything else. One significant issue that sets us apart from residential pools is that we have a large, community pool, which is regulated by the Health Department and requirements have changed over the last 60 years for filtration, chlorination methods, etc. It would also have to be a much more elaborate system because it is for the public and not private use. A new pool means we need all new systems, chemical delivery/storage requirements, laws (ADA, etc.), etc. This does not include the new water/sewage line that is required to be brought from Greenbrier all the way to the pool because we can no longer use the well system that has been in place for 60 years. This alone is $50k-$100k depending on a lot of issues.
What happens to the money donated if we aren’t able to raise enough money to build a new pool and clubhouse?
In the event that we were not able to build a new pool/or clubhouse, all money already donated would 100% go toward the betterment of the park as a whole.
How much money should I donate?
Way to ask a tough one! 🙂 We can’t answer that for you. However, we have a few things we can share for you to consider when determining how much money is right for your donation.
The current proposal for the new pool and clubhouse is 2.9 million dollars. There are 403 homes in our neighborhood plat. 2.9 million divided by 403 comes to $7,196.
A study was conducted by Dr. Aaron Lowen, a professor of Economics at GVSU in May of 2023. It found that the FHPA increases the property value of the homes in our neighborhood by 16.9-19.3%. Conservatively this means that $72,000 of our home's values are directly related to the FHPA. If the pool and park are no longer maintained, our property values will decrease significantly. Property Value Study