Fayetteville City Council has funded another outdoor swimming pool. The Lake Rim Aquatic Center will feature a kiddie pool plus a six-lane competition pool. Lake Rim Park is off Old Raeford Road on Fayetteville’s west side. Tentative plans are to build the pools on the park soccer field, according to the city.

M & E Contracting of Fayetteville received the $2.4 million contract. City Council formally adopted the construction contract without discussion Feb. 25. The project was agreed to several months ago.

The Lake Rim Aquatic Center will be the city’s fourth public swimming pool — the third since 2015. The others are Chalmers Pool at Seabrook Park on Slater Avenue, Bates Pool at College Lakes Recreation Center and Westover Pool off Bonanza Drive. The new Lake Rim Park facilities are being funded through regular capitol development appropriations, not the $35 million Parks and Recreation Bond referendum of 2016.

The city had been playing public pool catch-up since 2015 when it had but one pool. At the same time, Fort Bragg Family & Military Welfare Recreation operated five swimming pools on post, two of which are indoor facilities.

Under the leadership of former mayor Nat Robertson, the city decided to develop at least three pools and seven splash pads. Four splash pads are already open and a fifth is under construction. Fayetteville officials said attendance at city pools has increased by 40 percent since 2016.

As part of the aforementioned Parks and Recreation Bond issue, a multipurpose aquatic and senior center and fieldhouse were initially proposed. But the $28 million project was scrapped, according to Parks and Recreation Director Michael Gibson. It would have included a large indoor multi-use aquatic and senior center. Would-be features included an indoor pool, fitness room, racquetball courts, indoor track and playing surface and community meeting space.