Aquatic Center Set to Open in June
City hires new manager, assistant manager and sets operating hours and fees in preparation for grand opening.
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As the opening date for the sparkling new $13 million Cumming Aquatic Center inches closer (see story), Parks and Recreation Director Greg Little announced Monday that Carla Wilson has been named to manage the facility and Jeremy Howell will become the assistant facility manager.
Wilson moved to Georgia this week from Florida. She worked for Disney Cruise Lines at their private island resort in the Bahamas for nine years. Howell has been employed by the city's Parks and Recreation Department where he was aquatic coordinator for the outdoor pool.
Little said he's pleased to have both on board for the opening of the 50,000 square foot center, which he said would be in early June. Despite this winter's heavy snowfall and some severe thunderstorms in recent weeks, construction has moved along without any serious work stoppage.
"Winter (Construction, Inc.) has done a great job," Little said, "They've kept everybody on their toes and working. If we get substantial completion like we're expecting then we can open by early June."
Crews are busy putting in the landscaping outside and plastering the pools on the inside as well as filling the pools."I'm very excited about it even though we've got a lot left to do in the next two months," Little added.
The center will include two indoor pools, one of which will be a 10-lane, Olympic-sized 50-meter competition pool with permanent seating for more than 700 spectators and temporary seating for an additional 300. Permanent seating is on the second level and every seat has an excellent view of the pool.
The second indoor pool will have a therapeutic pool with four lanes that is wheelchair accessible. There also is a spacious dressing area with lockers. Outdoors there is a kiddie play pool plus a lazy river spray and mushroom area surrounded by cabanas.
Like most capital projects the city builds, the aquatic center will be fully funded before it opens.
While construction has been going on, city officials have been busy hiring staff, setting operating hours and a fee schedule.
The leisure pool will be open:
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The competition pool will be open:
Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. t0 8 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. t0 5 p.m.
Hours for the instructional pool will be:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Little said the county will not sell memberships but had created a fee schedule for the inaugural season.
"Tickets will not go on sale until a week before the facility opens," he said.
Daily admission fees will range between $2 and $5. Children under 2 get in free. Monthly Passes will also be available ranging between $25 and $40. Annual passes will cost $150 to $225. Family passes are available with the price based on the number of family members.
For more information on operating hours and fees, call the Cumming Parks and Recreation Department at 770-781-2030.
Adam
7:02 pm on Tuesday, April 12, 2011
I'm looking forward to using the pool to do laps for my workout. Hoping there will be an adult only time slot for such purposes. Very excited to have this facility so close to home!
Bill Johnson
7:28 am on Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Thanks for reading Patch, Adam. This center will be a tremendous asset to this community. The mayor and city council are to be commended for their vision.
Susan
8:48 am on Wednesday, April 13, 2011
I have been looking foward to the opening of this facility since I learned it was going to be built in our county off Pilgrim Mill Road! Let's "keep it beautiful..."
Kristen Berry
9:33 am on Thursday, April 21, 2011
Bill -thanks for the information. I have been looking for a thoroughly informative article such as this one! Our son swims competitively, so we are really looking forward to the opening of the facility.
Mike Morrell
9:46 pm on Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Kristen - we all share your feeling about the new Cumming Aquatic Center. We hope your family will consider looking at the North Georgia Aquatics Swim Team (that was select to use the aquatic center) for your son's competitive program. Tryout info will be posted on our web site www.swimnga.com
Neil Stapley
12:01 pm on Saturday, April 30, 2011
This amazazing facility is why we brought our house in the Sub divison opposite the center. We have watch it raise from the ground. Our family is so excited
Neil Stapley
10:32 am on Friday, May 13, 2011
http://www.cityofcumming.net/Cumming_Aquatic_Center.pdf
Jody Federico
10:31 am on Tuesday, May 31, 2011
I really wish the facility and it's staff would consider an extension of its daily hours for the competition pool to open 0500 and/or close at 2100 for those of us who work 12 hour shifts in healthcare. We need a facility that allows us to stay "healthy" as well!
PG
12:33 pm on Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Will you have adult learn to swim classes as well as water exercise classes at some point??
Penny
11:43 am on Friday, June 10, 2011
Do you know when they will be announcing the opening date??
Liz Kennedy
12:24 pm on Friday, June 10, 2011
Hi Patcher's,
QUICK UPDATE: Please check our latest story on some of your questions here: http://patch.com/A-h3cP and as of Tuesday, June 6, according to Cumming City Administrator Gerald Blackburn, no official opening date has been determined. He hopes to have an opening date to announce sometime next week and we will have that information here on Cumming Patch.
Liz Kennedy
1:36 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
UPDATE: Cumming Mayor Ford Gravitt will announce an OPENING DATE of the Cumming Aquatic Center during the monthly City Council meeting, Tuesday, June 21, according to Greg Little, Parks and Recreation Director. We will have that date for you ASAP on Cumming Patch - follow our tweets @CummingPatch
Charity Zierten
2:19 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The hours are very restricted. I think people will stick with the YMCA until they work out their hours and pricing issues.
Liz Kennedy
3:59 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Hi Charity, perhaps some will stay with their current clubs, but I believe many others are excited about the aquatic center and will visit and use. Unfortunately hours, times, classes offered, prices that are currently in place are not going to satisfy everybody. Though adjustments may be made once the doors are open and business is running. Thanks for your comment!
Lynn
8:52 pm on Friday, July 1, 2011
I have to agree with Charity. The hours are ridiculously restrictive. My guess is its because in true fashion for cities/counties; lets have an abundance of employees standing around in all departments and run tax payer built facilities with a skeleton crew with limited hours. After all if it looses money we can just raise taxes.
Neil Stapley
8:30 am on Saturday, July 2, 2011
I can't see what is restrictive about the opening hours. Yes the YMCA is open 1.5 hrs longer than the Aquatic center. Open 5.30am vs 6.00am Closes 9pm (friday 8.30pm). On Sunday the Aquatic center is open longer than the YMCA. The YMCA is a very small pool and the swimming is restricted to 1 or 2 lanes when they have there aquatic classes on. The sheer size of the Aquatic center pool means this will never be an issue. If have been to the Aquatic center you will see they are not running it on a skeleton crew, there are laws they have to follow number of life guards vs occupancy.
Liz is correct in saying that no one can build a facility that suits everyone. e.g the swimming lessons are far to expensive $48 for a 2 week session vs $77 for an 8 week session at the Forsyth Y and $66 for a 4 week session at the Alpharetta Y but the actual admission prices are comparable to other aquatic centers in the region and certainly cheaper than the YMCA.