Motel acquired for community pool in Woodland

Plans for a community pool in Woodland took a step forward Thursday.

The Woodland Community Swimming Pool Committee announced it had acquired 2.9-acres owned by the Lakeside Motel. The property will be combined with an adjacent piece of land donated by Benno and Klazina Dobbe to create a 3.7-acre swatch where project backers plan to build the pool.

Benno Dobbe called the acquisition an exciting step for the pool project. The deal gives project backers enough land to build the pool and expand later, if needed.

“It’s a very sweet deal, if you will,” he said.

The committee plans to pay $800,000 for the property, $150,000 of which will be used as a down payment.

The deal will become final after a 90-day due diligence period. The committee does not foresee encountering any problems with the property, Benno Dobbe said.

The committee intends to sell the industrial property it currently owns at Glenwood and Columbia streets to offset most of the acquisition costs.

The committee will continue using the motel property to offset the monthly payments on the property until it’s ready to break ground.

Once the planning and cost figures of the first phase of the project are determined, this spring the pool committee and the YMCA will join efforts to start a comprehensive fundraising campaign.