Glastonbury starts fundraising for indoor aquatics center
GLASTONBURY – Although the future of the indoor aquatics center proposed in Glastonbury will probably be determined in 2020, a local group has formed to help raise money for the facility.
Friends of Glastonbury Aquatics is a nonprofit “whose mission is to build private financial support for the advancement of aquatic programming in Glastonbury.” Ginny Kim, one of the group’s organizers, said the town’s recent feasibility study was an “important first step.”
The town council is reviewing five options that would include various sizes of competition pools along with a warm-water pool in each. Options also include a single pool or 50-meter, eight-lane facility. The costs would range from $14.4 million to $18.6 million. Kim said she is “convinced as ever that a two-pool aquatics facility makes sense for this community and is feasible.”
“The construction cost, while a worthwhile investment, is substantial,” she said. “We’ve heard the call for private funds to offset the public funding burden. We’ve spoken to many people who are ready to contribute.”
The group has a Facebook page and will be releasing more details over the summer about how residents can pledge and donate money, Kim said.
The town council has not made a decision on the future of an aquatics center in town, but has continued to discuss the issue at each meeting since the study was released in late May. In all the options, the area around the pool would include spectator seating for 200 people, a lobby and staff offices, as well as men’s and women’s locker/changing rooms and family locker/changing rooms. No location has been selected for the center, although a 4- to 6-acre parcel would be required for the facility.
The town has several pools, including the Grange Pool, which was built in 1959 and recently underwent $350,000 in renovations. The pool at Glastonbury High School opened in 1973 and Addison Pool opened in 1993.
The high school pool, the lone indoor facility in town, is often booked to capacity, forcing residents to look at alternatives in neighboring communities, including Trinity College.
Resident Robyn Guimont said an aquatics center would be a “real plus” for everyone in the community. She said with her children no longer in school there is “very little keeping me in town.”
“One thing I do enjoy is swimming. Even that option has its limits as we only have a single indoor option,” she said. “I fear the GHS pool is nearing the end of its shelf life.”
Deb McFall of Friends of Glastonbury Aquatics said the study has “breathed life back into the concept” of an indoor pool that has been envisioned for years.
“Each step is progress,” she said. “Now is the time to keep this moving forward. With a more health conscious society, the result is one pool that is bursting at the seams. … An indoor aquatics facility is desirable by a broad spectrum of residents. There will be fierce opposition and we will show there are many supporters to bring this to a referendum vote.”
One of those supporters is senior citizen Mary Ellen Linderman, who has lived in town for 40 years.
“Swimming is the best exercise from little kids to those over 100 years old,” she said. “Swimming keeps me walking.”
Peter Marteka can be reached at pmarteka@courant. com.