Without financial aid from the city, Reading’s last private swimming pool may be forced to close.
The one-two punch of the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with infrastructure failures left the College Manor Pool drowning in debt.
“COVID, that was like one punch,” said John Brown, a member of the pool’s board of directors. “The second punch that hit us was the infrastructure.”
Brown and other representatives of the swimming club at 1625 Rockland St. made a plea for help at a recent City Council meeting.
A total of $65,318 is needed to make necessary repairs and pay off debts, they said.
The College Manor Swimming Association will receive $65,320 in American Rescue Plan Act funds from City Council to make repairs and pay off debts. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)
The amount includes a past-due balance of more than $13,000 owed to the Reading Area Water Authority.
The pool took a hit after it failed to open in 2020 due to the pandemic, board member Patricia Wright said.
When it reopened for 2021, the club drew only 65 individual and family members. Such a low membership total took a toll on the pool’s revenue, Wright said.
At the same time, the cost of chemicals and other supplies rose, she said, and the association was forced to borrow $13,000 from a member to keep the pool open that season.
Membership increased to about 127 families for the 2023 season, but the pool’s coffers have not recovered, Wright said, and were further depleted by a crack in the pool’s lining and deteriorating pipes, which caused the pool to leak.
The frequent and necessary refills meant higher water bills, and the association fell behind in payments, Brown said.
Most of the leaking pipes have been replaced, he noted, but one leak remains.
The College Manor Pool, 1635 Rockland St., is faced with permanent closure unless financial assistance is made available from the city. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)
“We’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars chasing these leaks and making other improvements,” he said. “And we are close to the end.”
Once the repairs are completed and the debt is cleared, the pool should be in good shape, Brown said.
Community asset
Brown and other board members said the pool is an asset to the community. Though it is operated as a private club, any resident of Reading is welcome to join.
The pool’s community outreach efforts last year included six night events open to all city teens and public water aerobics classes, Brown said.
The swim club partners with local organizations for special events, hosts National Night Out and offers a scholarship for lifeguard training, among other efforts.
“We’re proud of the pool,” Brown said, “of what we’ve done and kept going.”
Funding
Two funding options are available should council chose to aid the pool, said Jamar Kelly, deputy city managing director. Unused American Rescue Plan Act funds could be allocated, or city Capital Improvement Project funds could be used.
Councilman Wesley Butler, who represents the district where the pool is located, said he would support a grant to the pool.
“College Manor pool is definitely a staple in the district,” he said, “not only for the pool, but also as a place for the kids to hang out.”
The wedge-shaped pool, opened in 1955, is 82.5 feet long and tapers in width from 50 to 35 feet. The association’s more than 1-acre property also includes a wading pool and volleyball and basketball courts.
The College Manor Pool, 1635 Rockland St., was established in 1955, and without financial assistance from the city may be forced to close. (BILL UHRICH – READING EAGLE)
Councilman Jaime Baez said he has reservations about funding a private club.
“If we’re using ARPA or funding it with public dollars, I think I would like to see it be publicly accessible as well,” he said.
Baez said he is concerned that the cost of membership may be out of reach for many residents and suggested a pay-per-use option like the one at the city-owned Schlegel Park pool.
Though the Olivet Boys & Girls Club operates an outdoor pool on Clinton Street, Schlegel pool is the only one owned and operated by the city.
“My main concern is when someone lives in poverty and they can’t afford a membership,” he said.
Fees consist of a one-time family membership fee of $250, plus yearly dues of $325 for the season.
Brown said memberships promote stability for the organization and allow for better planning for staffing and other operations.
Wright said the board agreed to open the pool to the public on excessively hot days as a way of giving city children a safe place to cool off.
“We don’t want them to just go down to the river,” she said.
Council President Donna Reed advised the pool’s board members to contact the city’s administration for further instruction on applying for a grant.
“You’ve been a major part of the community,” Reed said, “and we’ve lost so many of these pools. We certainly know how important those which are left are to everyone.”