Aquatics and Fitness Center Two Weeks Away From Reopening

Swimmers and exercise-class regulars displaced by a three-month renovation at the are nearing the end of their exile.

Director of Community Services Jim Mallon said on Friday that he's confident the facility will be open by the week of Monday, Nov. 21. There's some possibility the pool and fitness rooms could open earlier, he said.

The pool and aerobics room at the closed on Aug. 8 as W.G. Straga, Inc., of Pitman, began a $2.8 million renovation project. Czar Engineering designed the project.

The work included: a new roof; a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system; emptying the pool, repairing cracks and repainting; a new deck surface; a new dehumidification system; a new water treatment system; replacing windows and doors; and completing the second-floor aerobics room, bathroom and other areas adjacent to the pool.

When the pool reopens, it will use a traditional chlorine water-treatment system. But sometime around the new year, the pool will convert to a saltwater chlorination system, according to Business Administrator Mike Dattilo. The saltwater system is less noxious and less irritating to skin and eyes than chlorine systems.

Exercise classes moved to other public spaces in Ocean City during the renovation, including the Senior Center. Swimmers found pools on the mainland or took advantage of an sharing agreement with the Milton and Betty Katz Jewish Community Center, which also converted recently to a saltwater pool system.

Work on the renovation project was expected to be complete by Nov. 15, in time for the Ocean City High School swim teams to open their practice season.

Work crews are waiting for paint in the pool to cure before starting the lengthy process of refilling it. Crews are also finishing work on windows and doors in the facility.

The pool and fitness center work is the final stage of an $18 million renovation of the Ocean City Community Center, which includes the Ocean City Free Public Library, Ocean City Arts Center, Ocean City Historical Museum, the Aquatics and Fitness Center and Senior Center.