Swim club poised to take over old YMCA pool
By Grace Lovins
The Birmingham Blue Dolphins swim club may be the next tenant of the former YMCA building, now the home of the Next senior citizens group located at 400 E. Lincoln, taking over operations and maintenance of the existing pool on the lower level.
Club administration met with the Birmingham City Commission during a workshop session on Monday, September 14, to review some of the preliminary details.
City manager Jana Ecker explained that the city began meeting with the club back in April and, as of Monday’s meeting, they have signed an interim pool management agreement allowing them to have access to the pool for continual maintenance. Having the swim club rent the lower level and take over management of the space would be considered Phase II of the 400 E. Lincoln building project, she said.
On top of the interim pool management agreement, the city is working with the club to negotiate a lease agreement which Ecker says is about 90 percent complete. She said the lease would start at six months, with options to extend, and would make the swim club fully responsible for all interior aquatic systems, locker rooms and the pool deck.
Part of the condition for becoming a tenant in the building, Ecker said, is the club will have to provide a community benefit, the benefit being public use of the pool during certain times. Head coach and CEO of the club, Chris Wolford, said that the club will aim to use the pool four to five hours per day, seven days per week, and will likely open the pool for the public during the school day while the swimmers are in school.
Wolford and Dennis Jackson, also with the club, noted that they would likely charge the public a nominal per usage fee to offset the costs of the lifeguard on duty.
The remainder of the workshop focused on Phase III of the building and whether the city has an interest in renovating the upper level. Ecker said there are plans to temporarily relocate city departments to the space while their main offices are being renovated.
After the city’s temporary use, commissioner Andrew Haig suggested re-striping the existing courts in the space to create indoor pickleball courts for the winter. He suggested the city’s parks and recreation department could oversee rentals of the facility so the city can monitor what goes in the space.
No formal action was taken by the commission, but Ecker said that the city anticipates having a finalized agreement between the city and swim club to present to the commission during their Monday, October 5, meeting.
