South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District officials are considering a different approach to installing solar power.

Last year, the district’s aquatic recreation center project received a $100,000 grant from the Department of Commerce to incorporate solar with storage into the facility’s design, meaning that the building will provide essential services to the community in the event of a power outage or some other kind of emergency.

During a meeting this week, the district’s board of commissioners decided to go with the less expensive option of making the building ready for solar enhancements while delaying the installation of the array components.

According to Brian Tomisser, the district’s executive director, this choice will cost up to $100,000 – the same amount as the grant – but the entire project has a heftier price tag of $920,000. This is not included in the $27 million bond that was approved by voters last November.

Tomisser told the parks and rec commissioners that the district wouldn’t be able to apply for grant funds to install the solar array until the beginning of 2026, meaning the money might not reach the district until after the pool is open. The solar array components could then be added to the building.

“It seems to be a pretty important part,” Tomisser said of the solar element. “This is something we told the public we were doing.”

He suggested looking for other options to fund the solar array installation in case the district does not get the grant, which could be potentially impacted by an initiative on the November ballot.

The commissioners agreed to move forward with the solar-ready aspect of the project. The electrical infrastructure of the building will be designed to accommodate the future components necessary for solar without including them right away.