Swim Team Frets Over Possible Pool Changes

Young swimmers are worried that possible changes to the New Port Richey Recreation and Aquatic Center’s pool operations could leave them high and dry.

Teenagers in the New Port Richey branch of the Tampa Bay Aquatics swim team (and their parents) are concerned city officials could consider shortening the swim season at the center where the team practices.

“They’ve built that time, and all of a sudden they’re going to rip that away from them,” said Julie Underwood, a parent of two Tampa Bay Aquatics members.    

Swim team folks are also concerned that there might be a risk that a city employee who coaches the team could lose his job.

City officials have not made any decisions about the pool or staff at the recreation center. They delayed a vote on pool fees and issues and plan to address it at a future meeting.

The New Port Richey city government is faced with the reality that the recreation center’s revenues are nowhere near close to covering its costs. The city has had to subsidize the center's deficit with general fund money.

In April, city department heads were asked to outline ways to cut their

John Fussell, acting city parks and recreation director, said he can’t comment on the possibilities of a shortened swim season or cutting staff. The department has not finalized its plan for making the 10 percent cuts the city requested, he said.  

Earlier this year,

In a report, the consultant “strongly recommended that the city reduce the swim season from the current six-month period to a more traditional Memorial Day through Labor Day season for the non-competitive pools."

Past use of the pool was not enough to justify an extended season, according to the report. Cutting the pool’s swim season could reduce the city’s subsidy to the rec center.  

The consultant also floated the idea of charging swim teams a $36-an-hour rental fee for the pool, keeping the competitive pool open year-round “with the swim team absorbing the operating costs for utilities, chemical operating cost and staff costs associated with keeping the pooì open for an extended period of time.”

A squad of Tampa Bay Aquatics swimmers, accompanied by parent and volunteer Hal Blethroad, have been sounding off on the subject to officials over recent weeks.

Tampa Bay Aquatics practices at the center year-round. Gulf High and Ridgewood High hold meets there.

Right now, each Tampa Bay Aquatics swimmer pays a monthly fee to use the pool, Blethroad said.

“A rental rate would kill us,”  Blethroad, president of the swim team's booster club, said in an email. “We are the city’s team and the city pays for our coach."

Tampa Bay Aquatics swimmers have gone on to win scholarships. One such swimmer is Mazie Siddens, a Mitchell High student who was offered a scholarship to Milligan College in Tennessee., a Gulf High student standout swimmer, was also involved in Tampa Bay Aquatics and recently signed on to Florida Atlantic University.   

"I can only hope my younger teammates will have the same opportunities," Siddens said to the city council Tuesday.