The price of fun: City officials weigh cost of repairs at Birchtree pool

For several years, the pool at the Birchtree Swim & Racquet Club has needed some major repairs, including a new pool liner and deck, club and city officials say.

The pool, which is owned by the city and leased to the private club, is 41 years old and in need of an upgrade, club President Marc Yaeger said.

The problem is that the club’s lease agreement prohibits the club from making improvements to the facility. “We can’t even paint the building,” Yaeger said.

Even if the club was allowed to make improvements, Yaeger said he’s not sure the club could afford the major upgrades that need to take place.

According to Yaeger, the city, as owner, is responsible for improvements. Club officials a few years ago started asking the city to make the repairs. After much discussion, the City Council eventually allocated $190,000 in the city’s 2018 budget, based on estimates that had been obtained by club officials.

But when the city began taking a closer look at the pool, additional problems were found and costs escalated quickly, City Administrator Allan Rice said. Architects’ construction estimates obtained by the city came in between $520,000 and $675,000, he said.

So the project was put on hold while city officials try to decide what to do.

One problem is that the pool had a significant leak, Yaeger said. At one point, the pool was losing 5 inches of water overnight, and for every inch of water lost, it took 2,500 to 2,900 gallons to refill the pool, he estimated.

It was determined the leak probably was occurring around the skimmers, Yaeger said. Some patching work was done that appears to have stopped the leak, but the contractor was clear that this was only a temporary fix, Yaeger said.

Before this pool season, additional patching was done on the pool liner and deck to keep people from tripping or cutting their feet, but that too is a temporary fix, he said.

The city helped with some of the patching, replaced a pump that went out and redid some electrical work but had to disconnect the underwater lights at the pool, as inspectors were not sure they were still properly grounded for electrical safety, Rice said. Over time, the rebar to which they were grounded had deteriorated, he said.

So now, the pool is no longer used after dark, Yaeger said.

City workers also built a new restroom to accommodate people in wheelchairs.

Yaeger said pool members are thankful the city has shown a willingness to help, but the other work still needs to be done.

Rice said about $125,000 remains from the money allocated by the council in the 2018 budget and now city officials are trying to determine if they have the additional money needed and, secondly, whether that much money should be allocated for a pool operated by a private entity.

Some council members also have questioned putting that much money into a pool that old, Rice said.

“What level of revenue is too much to put into one facility like that when you have a city full of citizens and other needs and priorities?” he said.

There’s also the question of whether the club should contribute money toward repairs. Yaeger said it’s hard to convince people to invest in a facility they don’t own.

The Birchtree Swim & Racquet Club currently has about 215 household memberships, representing close to 900 people, Yaeger said. Families pay $375 per year, while individuals pay $225. Most of the money goes to pay for lifeguards, water and chemicals, he said.

The club tries to keep its fees down to be competitive with other swim clubs and to make membership feasible for all kinds of families, Yaeger said.

He thinks it makes sense for the city to invest in Birchtree.

“It’s an asset the city owns, and it’s well utilized,” he said. “Why would you not want to maintain an asset you already own?”