A recent public meeting with Minot’s Park District demonstrated what appears to be considerable support for a return to discussion about a public aquatics center. The item has been added as the District looks at a new five-year plan.

Good.

A few years ago, proponents of an aquatics center lost by a 1,863 to 3,795 vote on an initiative based on a 1 percent city sales tax to go to the Minot Park District for construction of the $88 million center. In today’s environment, that funding stream won’t be an option. But there are other ways to fund projects.

This is particularly true in Minot, where a priority is to see developed sites for families to spend time in the winter months when so many recreational components of the region are unavailable due to weather. This is a significant factor in quality of life, another important issue that Minot must address.

Two factors are that the public must be heard on this issue from the earliest stage and that funding needs to be the start of the discussion.

Minot Parks has long commanded the respect and consideration of the public.

This is a discussion worth having.