Reimagine a treasured family recreational resource for generations to come

Core Beliefs of the Reimagine Project:

• • Safety is the primary concern of operations. Nothing is more important than safety. No role is more essential to the well-being of membership than that of the lifeguard. Our pool has to be a desirable place to work if we are to attract & retain talent.
  • Family-oriented fun is our most valuable offering. Fellowship through increased pool activity brings families closer and makes our community stronger. We need more seating space from an expanded pool deck. While the pool itself is sometimes not crowded, there are often not enough available places to sit. We want a place to find shelter during inclement weather and a place to enjoy a meal. We should not have to pack up the car and go home because of a 20min thunderstorm, nor should kids have to race home on their bikes as lightning cracks. We can have a covered area to sit at a table together with friends, family & fellow members as we enjoy a delivered pizza or burrito. A covered but open-air Activities Area makes for a safer, sensible and more convenient pool experience.
  • What is right supersedes what is legal. The age of our facility allows structures to be “grandfathered” from modern building code. Regardless, matters of accessibility, such as ADA compliance, should remain an important guide for our investments as a membership.
  • Over time, everything either gets better or worse. Virtually unchanged since 1961, much of our facilities and infrastructure is beyond repair. Our property has not been kept as good neighbors should. Storm water does not properly move away from our property. Parking is an issue for members and our neighbors. Our equipment is exposed to the elements year-round, which unnecessarily reduces its lifetime. The longevity of our investment in filters, pumps, furnishings and other equipment currently exposed to the weather elements is greatly reduced, costing us thousands per year in unnecessary operating expenses. A new structure secures and houses all of our equipment.
  • We have an opportunity, if not an obligation. Together as members, we hold the responsibility to perpetuate the success of our pool community for generations to come. The time has come to have a bias for action. We have a Board willing to do the work. It is time to make necessary capital improvements or pay the consequences of not doing so in repair & replacement costs that increase membership costs anyway.
  • Simplicity defines our character & affordability makes us unique. Assuming we complete our capital improvement project as currently budgeted, we move forward in sound financial health. Importantly, we have achieved this, together, without changing who we are as an organization. Tracking attendance closely for several years, we do not believe we have overcrowded our pool by adding too many members. The ongoing annual costs to be a member have also been kept in control. While they have increased, annual dues are only a little over $100 higher in 2025 than they were ten(10) seasons ago. They remain <$500, and there is no foreseeable reason why they should exceed that amount. Initial year membership costs are within  approximately 20% of pre-COVID levels. Guest fees remain unchanged at $3. All the while, we have helped those who requested and qualified for financial assistance. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why did the Board feel compelled to propose this project? Several years before the vote on our capital project, the Board began to consider its fiduciary resonsibilty to membership regarding excess cash on the balance sheet. Feedback from membership and the obvious needs our facility had for capital improvements versus returning that cash to membership through a dividend led to the proposal of a vote on capital improvements as its best option. A set of Core Beliefs for our property and its faclities were developed, presented to membership and a vote “for” a capital improvement project in late 2023 per the bylaws determined how we would move forward. Please refer to the section on our capital project in the Annual Letter to Membership for more.

When will construction take place?  mid-December 2024 – May 2025

How much will the project cost in total? Our originally planned costs of approximately $1.1M have increased by about $100k to $1.2M. Additional costs over plan have been driven mostly by civil engineering demands due to code compliance and storm water management, but also plumbing, electrical safety and rendering the property and new facilities ADA compliant.  

Will the pool open on time? As of the end of February, it appears possible, but unlikely we open our pool on time in 2025. The forecast shows we are running 2-3 weeks late. We are doing everything possible to make up time and will keep you posted with News alerts.

Do members get a refund if the pool does not open on time? Every member needs to understand that the Board is doing everything we can to open the pool on time. If we do not incur the expected costs of operations for the season, the Board will definitely consider a credit or refund of dues. At a time when so much time and effort is being volunteered to complete a project years in the making, the Board appreciates all members understanding that its focus is on completing the capital project. Respectfully, the Board suggests that there will be ample time to inquire about what membership is or is not owed once the project is complete and the pool opens this summer.

How much are ongoing membership costs increasing? About $75 from the previous year. While annual dues have increased, they are a little over $100 higher in 2025 than they were ten(10) seasons ago, and they remain <$500. Based on financial forecasts, there is no foreseeable reason why ongoing annual membership fees should exceed current amounts. The Board’s Finance Committee welcomes any inquiry. Email finance@swimminghole.club to contact the Treasurer.

Will future members participate in the cost? Yes. In keeping with how a typical membership-based organization funds capital improvements, new members joining for the 2025 season & beyond contribute to a Capital Contribution Fund where a Family Membership pays $150 each year for their initiative(5) years of membership.

Will we take on debt to help pay for the project & for how long? Yes. Our plan originally included a $750k loan, now finalizing at $800k. The Board expects it will have the ability to pay off our loan within ten(10) years if it chooses to do so.

Who is the architectural firm & builder hired for the project? LaBella is the same architectural firm that designed the new Davidson College Football Stadium. Our General contractor is Fourth Elm Construction

Is the Town appropriately involved & informed? Yes, the Town of Davidson and Mecklenburg County.