NORWICH – With the end of summer right around the corner, coordinators at the Kurt Beyer Pool are reviewing information and survey data collected for the consideration of changes at the pool next year, which include a possible user fee for swimmers.
Although a charge wouldn’t completely support the facility, the city is seeking extra revenue to offset some of the expenses of maintaining the pool and setting money aside for inevitable repairs further down the road. Since the pool reopened at the beginning of the year, city employees have been surveying how many people use it and what township they’re from. It is part of an effort to decide if a charge for pool use should be implemented and if so, what the cost should be and how it should be collected.
Currently, the Towns of Norwich, North Norwich, Plymouth, Preston and Pharsalia contract with the city for summertime youth bureau services such as swim teams and lessons, sports and summer trips. But open swim is not factored in to that charge, explained Robert Mason, director of the Norwich City Youth Bureau.
“With the pool repairs done this year, the council took an interest in who was using the pool ... We’re considering ways to charge, but we want to wait until all the survey data is in,” Mason said.
When pool survey data was last reviewed on Aug. 13, it showed that of the 9,281 total swimmers so far, 94 percent were from the city and contracting townships (8,141 were from the city and 431 were from the Town of Norwich; 26 from North Norwich, 98 from Plymouth, 32 from Preston and only 5 from Pharsalia). The remaining 6 percent come from other townships and out of state visitors to the area.
According to Mason, data collected thus far indicates that it would be difficult to charge townships for open swim – a possibility considered by the city council earlier this year. If a fee is implemented, he said, it’s more likely that the council lean toward a one-time user fee or an optional seasonal pass.
Should a charge go into effect, the city would face the task of collecting the fee. According to City Director of Finance Bill Roberts, non bonded city employees (lifeguards included) can’t handle cash for liability reasons, meaning the city would have to find a way to charge a fee without taking money at the pool gate. There are other avenues, Mason said, including a token vending machine at the pool or admission tickets made available at city hall.
Whatever decision regarding a user fee – if there is one at all – will ultimately be made by the city council before next swimming season, said Mason.
“This was a good summer to have the pool back again,” he added, citing the cost of pool repairs that kept gates closed during the 2011 swim season and above average temperatures through most of this summer. “Repairs made this year have been well worth the cost,” he said.