atu pool in russellville

[mark hardy]

sad day in russellville. it was in the news paper yesterday that the atu pool will closed for ever due to high operating cost.

[Cowper]

Wow! I didn't know they could even do that at a public university. Doesn't ATU have a swim or dive team?

It's surprising that when the university can afford to provide facilities for so many other sports, the pool is declared "not affordable" and ends up on the chopping block. Pools are often used by folks with physical disabilities or conditions that cut them off from other types of exercise and physical activity; so to me a major public institution like ATU not having a pool can almost be compared to saying "we can't afford elevators and wheel chair ramps any more, 'cause not that many people use them". (You can't do that.)

Hopefully there will be enough protest to get the decision reconsidered. It also seems to me that pool ongoing maintenance expenses could be reduced with some one-time improvements; for example, I've never understood why we always seem to have large expanses of glass on most of our indoor pools; it makes them much more expensive to heat in the winter.

[mark hardy]

they say becuse the pool is used by the public that new regulations will make them have to put in lifts and ramps for the disabled and with the age of the building it would cost to much.

[mark hardy]

atu does not have a swim team but rhs does. the will no longer have an indoor pool to train in.

[Cowper]

If someone local has the time and inclination; I'd suggest approaching both ATU and someone from RHS with an offer from ACC to kick off / contribute to some fund raising. ATU should be able to find grants, and fund at least a portion of it from their own budgets.

Browsing the web, I find some sites claiming "ADA compliant pool lifts starting at $3000." A more realistic budget seems to be within the range of $5000 to $10,000. I'm also sure some of the Piney Creeks chapter members have the skills to help with installation, which would help keep total costs down.

ACC couldn't pick up the whole tab, but we could probably help in the range of 5% to 10% of their total needs, or maybe more if they can hold to the lower end of the cost range. That's actually pretty good when you think about it - having 10% of your funds already there before you even begin serious fundraising. RHS swim team could provide the people-power for additional fundraising events or appeals. After all, they would be training several days per week; compared to our "seasonal" use, so they have even more to lose than we do.

In my mind, pool sessions qualify as part of our "public outreach / education" platform, and supporting them is legitimate club business. It would also help cement the relationship for continued ACC access to the ATU pool, but there has to be an ATU pool for that to happen!

[anthony]

BOBA???
TY???

[Jim Krueger]

Since this subject has come up, I remembered reading a related article in my old hometown's newspaper the other day that may be of interest.
Daily Siftings Hearld, Monday, Nov. 28th; BHMC-A Awards grant for pool lift.

In essence, the Baptist Health Medical Center-Arkadelphia applied for and was awarded a $3000 grant to assist in purchasing a swimming pool lift to be used for theraputic services at the Henderson State University Aquatic Center in Arkadelphia. This is a MultiPlan Rural Health Outreach grant. Since 1995, this organization has awarded $390,000 in various grants.

Please see the Siftings article , or perhaps the BHMC-A, or HSU websites for more info.


Best Regards
Jim Moose