Brief reprieve at CF pool – Ocala

It will stay open through end of year to host high school swim teams

The Newton A. Perry Aquatic Center, which was set to close in about five weeks, will remain open through the end of the year now that the College of Central Florida agreed to extend the lease so that area high school swim teams can hold fall competitions.

The lease extension, which was approved by the colleges Board of Trustees on Wednesday, comes three months after CF President Jim Henningsen announced the pool complex would be closed. The pool was built by the college 39 years ago, but has not been needed for academics for about 25 years.

For more than a decade, Ocala Aquatics, a nonprofit group that offers swimming lessons and recreation team sports, has leased the facility from CF for $10 per year. The agreement was that Ocala Aquatics pay for the $180,000 annual upkeep and the college would take care of broken equipment in excess of $2,500.

Henningsen announced in May the college would not renew the lease with Ocala Aquatics. He said the complex would be closed on Sept. 30 because the college could not afford the $1.5 million needed to renovate the aging facility, which has become a liability. Ocala Aquatics did not have the money to pay for the renovation.

After the news of the impending closing, Marion County Superintendent of Schools Heidi Maier and her administrative team soon realized there are few pools available for high schools to conduct fall practices and competitions. Maier met with Henningsen and asked for the extension so that high school swimming programs could proceed. Henningsen agreed to bring the request before the Board of Trustees on Wednesday.

The swimming complex has the areas only certified Olympic-size swimming pool. Ocala Aquatics has held swimming lessons there for decades and high school swimming teams have used the facility.

We are thankful they did extend the lease, Maier said on Wednesday.

Maier said the district has been looking at leasing one of the city of Ocalas two public swimming pools. But both city pools are used by many groups and scheduling would be difficult. She said they have considered negotiating with the Frank Deluca YMCA to use its pool. However, it appears the YMCA pool, which is used often, is likely not a viable option.

Brandie Bennett, the chairwoman of the Ocala Aquatics' board of directors, said Wednesday the group is finalizing its plans to launch a massive capital campaign in October to build its own swimming complex. Bennett said the new facility would be built on property in the Ocala area. Bennett said she could not offer any more details until the board of directors finalized its plans in the coming months.

Henningsen told trustees on Wednesday that reputable Marion County businessmen have talked to him about the possibility of extending the lease beyond December so that funding can be secured to build a new swimming complex.

Henningsen told the board that he expects the group to ask for that extension later in the year. He said he will be willing to work with the group if an adequate fundraising campaign is underway and that immediate repairs of some of the biggest concerns are financed by the group.

Trustees agreed to give the three-month extension, though they insisted the college would not be responsible for any repairs or providing maintenance manpower. Henningsen said the lease extension with Ocala Aquatics is clear that the college would not be paying for any repairs or equipment during the lease extension.

When Henningsen announced in May that the college would not renew the lease, Ocala Aquatics officials balked, stating the complex is still operational. The nonprofit asked if they could conduct needed repairs in stages over years and not at one time. Henningsen declined the request, stating he had warned the group four years ago to start raising money to renovate the complex or he would be forced to close the pool. A study conducted several years ago showed the pool was in dire need of substantial repair.

The college first tried to close the pool in 2003. The pool was only being used by the community and the college was paying all of the bills. College officials agreed then to lease the facility for $10 per year to Ocala Aquatics. The deal was that Ocala Aquatics had to pay the operational costs, which is about $180,000 annually. The college pays about $40,000 annually in other costs.

Henningsen told Ocala Aquatics in 2013 that the group needed to raise at least $1 million to pay for a renovation or he would shut it down. Since then, the group has raised $80,000. Henningsen decided early this year that the complex was too much of a safety risk to keep open.

Ocala Aquatics officials also said in June that Henningsen had promised the colleges help to raise the funds for the renovation. Henningsen said the CF Foundation initially agreed to help, but decided to focus instead on fundraising for the colleges academic programs. In 2011, a fire destroyed the main building at the pool complex and CF paid $2 million. Along with insurance funds, the building was rebuilt.

Joe Callahan can be reached at 867-4113 or joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeOcalaNews.

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Brief reprieve at CF pool - Ocala