Towamencin Township Pool Closed For 2017

Towamencin Township announced last week that the township pool would not be opening for the 2017 season due to high costs.

"Ongoing and significant" operational costs have not been covered by membership and use fees, Robert Ford, the township manager, said on Wednesday.

The pool has continued to lose money despite opening a competition size pool with vast facility improvements in 2008.

Revenue had declined drastically from $220,554 to $151,407 from 2004 to 2016, the township said.

Funds have been transferred from the General Fund to cover the Pool Operating Fund for years. More than half a million dollars from this fund has been used to pay for the pool since 2017.

The township has considered leasing the entire facility to the North Penn YMCA, but those talks stalled when it was determined the facility could not meet the needs of the Towamencin Swim Team, the township said.

The controversy between the swim team and the township stemmed from disagreements over how much of the cost of the lease the team would absorb.

Patch file photo.