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September 6, 2012

Rec complex officials scrambling for dollars to keep pool open year-around

By Keith Gushard Meadville Tribune

VERNON TOWNSHIP — The pending loss of more than a quarter of revenue for the Meadville Area Recreation Complex next year has the facility’s officials reaching out to funding partners now to try to keep the swimming pool open year-round.

“It’s tough to do when you lose 26 percent of the budget and replace it quickly,” Roger Gildea, vice chairman of the Meadville Area Recreation Authority told Vernon Township Board of Supervisors at the board’s September work session Wednesday night.

Gildea was talking about Crawford Central School Board’s decision to end its $206,000 annual contribution to the MARC after June 30, 2013, and the school district not utilizing the recreation complex pool for swimming instruction during school hours this school year.

While Vernon and West Mead townships and the City of Meadville also make annual contributions, the loss of revenue from school district in 2013 will have “a tremendous impact on the facility” according to Gildea, who was accompanied by three other recreation authority board members.

A similar presentation was made to Meadville City Council at its work session Wednesday afternoon by recreation authority members.

“It’s a looming issue,” Gildea said to Vernon’s supervisors of the loss of revenue. “We’re just in the beginning stages on possible things to do.”

The authority is exploring the possibility of finding other partners including Meadville Medical Center and area nursing homes to utilize the pool during daytime hours in the winter months, according to Gildea.

“We don’t know if we’re going to be successful,” Gildea said of whether the recreation authority will be able to find new partners to generate enough revenue to keep the pool open year-round.

Mike Fisher, the MARC’s executive director, said the authority wants to keep the swimming pool in operation year-round after the school district’s funding ends, “but that’s a tall order.”

“I’m not sure the public is totally aware of the impact,” Fisher said.

In passing the school district’s 2012-2013 budget, which began on July 1, the Crawford Central School Board eliminated of the position of district aquatics instructor, a move that automatically eliminated swimming instruction from the district’s elementary and secondary physical education program.

Until the end of the 2011-12 school year, fourth-graders from throughout the Meadville attendance area were bused to the MARC for swimming lessons, and students from Meadville Area Middle School and Meadville Area Senior High School walked to the complex to swim as part of their physical education program.

The district’s swim team, which uses the pool at the MARC outside regular school hours, will continue to use the facility at least through the 2012-13 school year.

Gildea said the recreation authority members wanted to make the presentation to keep supervisors apprised of what was taking place.

Tim Mullen, vice chairman of Vernon supervisors, said the board appreciated the presentation and asked that the township be kept informed.



Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.

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