Consultant meets with residents about options for Winchester community pool

A community pool must meet the needs of multiple users and attract enough swimmers to become self-sustainable, a consultant hired by Swim Winchester told a meeting of about 30 people last week.

The goal of this project is to create “a family aquatic center—not just a pool, but something designed for anyone,” Kevin Post from Counsilman Hunsaker said.

Swim Winchester recently hired Counsilman Hunsaker to conduct a feasibility study for building an aquatic facility in town. The nonprofit group still needs to raise about half of the $20,000 fee for the aquatic planning and design firm.

Post met with various community groups around town last week, including swim coaches, senior citizens at the Jenks Center, town leaders and state Rep. Jason Lewis, D-Winchester, said Swim Winchester spokeswoman Kendra Ahern.

During the June 5 open community meeting, Post emphasized attracting different kinds of pool users: competitive, recreational, instructional, and fitness and therapy-related. Adding amenities to the proposed pool that cater to these different groups of users may increase long-term self-sustainability, Post said.

Post showed slides of multipurpose community pools from across the country. In particular, he pointed out pool features that could raise interest in the pool—as well as raising the cost. These included wave technology, moving water, water slides and vertical elements.

Many residents expressed interest in a zero-depth entry pool and the possibility of creating an indoor-outdoor pool by using a removable “bubble” covering was debated.

“This is still very early concept development,” Post said. “So if anyone is interested in giving input or giving feedback, just make sure they’re aware that this is an ongoing process and we’re there to listen.”

Swim Winchester is hoping the new pool can offer programs from swimming lessons to aquatic aerobics, and serve as a walkable town social space, said Swim Winchester President Catherine Curtis.

The revenue generated from swimmers and programs would hopefully cover the operating costs of the pool, Curtis said. Post said modern pools typically recoup 80 percent to 90 percent of the operating costs.

However, the upfront cost of building the pool—which could be $5 million to $15 million, Post said—would have to be covered by a mix of public and private funds. As examples, Swim Winchester organizers have pointed to the successful fundraising efforts to fund Borggaard Beach Splash Park and renovations at Ginn Field and Manchester Field.

The next step for Swim Winchester is to create two specific plans for the potential pool, a dream plan and a minimally acceptable plan, Post said.

“I think there is a lot of interest,” Ahern said. “If we work hard enough as a group, we can definitely pull this off.”