So for those of you who have an opinion on how the city's growing or how it builds pools, here's your chance to give some city officials your opinions.

The second round of public workshops on the city's Comprehensive Plan, it's long-term guide for development, includes a North Raleigh location.

On Thursday, one of the workshops will be held at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 8304 Leesville Road. On-site check in starts at 6 p.m. The workshop runs from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The workshops are part of a two-year process to update the city's plan. The current version was adopted in 1989. And, in the next 20 years, Raleigh's population is expected to grow by 70 percent to reach 700,000 people.

Next week, participants will get an update on the public feedback so far and break up into smaller groups to consider options and ideas for addressing Raleigh's growth and development challenges and opportunities.

You can find more information on the city's Web site at www.raleighnc.gov/planning.

Mitchell Silver, the city's planning director, said it's important for people to attend the meetings. Silver said city planners want to make sure that they've correctly recorded the concerns of the public at past meetings.

"Public participation is crucial to every Comprehensive Planning effort and so we need to hear from the public as we move to the next stage of starting to draft the plan," he said.

The city also will hold a public meeting at 7 p.m., March 26, at Green Road Park and Community Center gymnasium, 4201 Green Road.

The meeting is scheduled to gather input about amending the master plan for Buffaloe Road Athletic Park to include a new pool.

In January, the City Council voted to allocate $8 million toward the design and construction of a regional aquatics center at the park. It's the first new public swimming pool in the city in 16 years.

The total project, which includes water slides, locker rooms and seating for at least 400 people, could top $24 million.

More information is available on the city's Web site; go to www.raleighnc.gov/parks.

And for those who can't go next week, you have another option.

A second meeting will be held at 7 pm., April 23, also at Green Road.

The City Council will have the final say on the project.