Twelve of 24 persons who spoke up at a Second Ward public hearing Tuesday on a possible recreational complex in New Ulm favored an indoor pool.

Six favored a pool plus multi-purpose arena, two were against the entire complex, while four had questions or comments,Several present suggested any bond issued should give voters a choice of an indoor pool alone or a pool choice of an indoor pool alone or a pool plus arena.

“I’m afraid if an arena is tacked on. we’ll lose the entire issue and lose the indoor pool which we definitely need,” said Phil Liesch, 810 N. Washington. He noted a pool had been tacked onto bond issues for new schools in past years and had been defeated by the voters. “Our present pool is overcrowded and unsafe,” Liesch said.

FORTY-FOUR PERSONS turned out for the hour-long session, third in a series of four ward hearings held by the City Council to take the community pulse on a possible recreation complex.

The hearings are the council’s response to a request by a citizen group for permission to pursue such a complex. A $3.7 million bond issue for a recreation complex had been defeated by voters in February 1975by an almost three to one margin.

STEWART PATRICK, 1814 N. Minnesota, said he was primarily interested in a swimming pool.

“It might have some chance of passing and it would be used by more age groups,” he said. “It wouldn’t have to cost a fortune.”

Harry Hofmeister, 825 N. German, favored a pool but not the entire complex due to cost. Most children will be in the water at some time and “it’s imperative they learn how to swim,”he said.”If they fall down on the ice they can stand up again.”

Mr. and Mrs. Bill Fenske, 816 Sixth N., both favored a pool and arena. Fenske said the arena would help the city’s economy. Mrs. Fenske said adults, not just children, would use the pool and ice arena.

Bill Schreiner, 1014 N. Minnesota, and Dave Hansen, 719 N. Minnesota,favored an indoor pool.

DONALD FIEBIGER, 414 N. State, said he is janitor at the Armory which the city recreation department uses in the winter.

“I’m for a recreation center because the children who come down there are starved out for recreation,” he said, adding they come and beg him to open the gym area if it is closed.

“I haven’t any children but I’m willing to pay my share so the children can have some place to go,” Fiebiger said.

RED MUELLER, 915 N. German,opposed a multi-purpose arena,saying “a swimming pool would suffice, there’s a need for a pool.”

Mueller urged the council to also consider a place for the senior citizens, who have been without a permanent meeting place of their own since the community art center burned down in February 1974.

New Ulm Daily Journal

May 12, 1976