Park District Weighs New East Peoria Pool Option

East Peoria might get a swimming pool again...if voters decide they want it. 

The Fon du Lac Park District is considering converting part of the Fon du Lac Golf Course on Springfield Road into a multi-use park. 

Phase one and two of the proposed plan would include two soccer fields, a paved trail, a splash pad and new playground equipment. Park district director Mike Johnson said those costs could be absorbed without a tax increase for about $1.7 million.

But a new pool would cost $5 million, and would likely require a voter-approved property tax increase, Johnson said. 

The park district shut down Splashdown Water Park in 2017 due to the high cost of reparing its aging infrastructure. It was later demolished. 

Johnson said the Fon du Lac Golf Course on Springfield Road has lost $50,000 to $60,000 annually for the past several years.

"We're still going to open the facility this coming year," he said. "We're just looking for input from the public to see if maybe we can modify that facility. Still have a few holes open, but maybe offer some other services." 

The park district will have an anonymous survey open for the next month to gather community input before making a decision. 

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