The Fight to Save Nansemond Swim Club

The Fight to Save Nansemond Swim Club

Hello, my name is Matt Moore. As a board member I am starting this fundraiser on behalf of Nansemond Swim Club.

There are many community pools across the country struggling to stay open and viable due to increased operating expenses, age of the infrastructure and repair/replacement costs. The story of the Nansemond Swim Club, our community pool, is typical of many. Nansemond Swim Club, located in the Northwest corner of Suffolk Virginia, is not just a place to swim it is a place where many generations of the community have made lifetime memories and friendships. Our kids enjoy many activities throughout the summer including swim team, parties, wiffle ball games and more. Adults enjoy relaxing time in the sun, exercise in the swim lanes, and socializing with other members/families. Many of our children can walk to the pool, where they learn independence and can play & exercise in a safe setting.

Nansemond Swim Club has been able to offer these experiences to the community for a very modest annual membership fee. Funds raised through membership fees are directly allocated operating expenses, annual reserve funds, and infrastructure repair projects. Sustainment of the pool is attributed to its members who volunteer time and skillsets to keep the facility operational each year. That being said, the pool which was built in 1968, has been long over-due for a structural and mechanical overhaul. Approaching 55 years in age the pool at Nansemond Swim Club requires the completion of multiple critical infrastructure projects in order to keep the facilities open in the years ahead.

One of the primary objectives of the board is to continue to offer memberships to the community at an affordable price point. The downside to this is that this does not leave Nansemond Swim Club with sufficient funds to tackle some of these expensive and necessary major critical infrastructure projects.

What are the projects facing Nansemond Swim Club?

First, “Project – Keep Water in the Pool”

In the past several years, our volunteer board has learned more about pool mechanics and maintenance than we ever wanted to know. Most recently in 2022 we knew the pool was leaking water and had our suspicions as to why. NSC Board members researched solutions and hired a leak detection crew to help discover the source of the problem. Results proved that two major repairs were absolutely needed at the bottom of the 12 ft. diving well. The service company hired to make the repairs also noted many other areas in the pool that were likely contributing to the loss of water. In November 2022, the pool was drained so that repairs could be made to the major cracks that had reopened from a previous repair. These repairs allowed the pool to open again for the 2023 season.

Price tag for keeping water in the pool, $25,000.

Next, “Project – Clean Water”

The pool at Nansemond Swim Club holds over 215,000 gallons of water. The pump room houses four constantly running sand filters which pump water through the system. The sand in the filters catch any dirt and debris, purifying and cleaning the water before returning it to the pool. Our sand filters are at the end of their life expectancy and need to be replaced. Without sand filters there is no pool to enjoy! The Board of Directors have already begun the effort to replace all four sand filters. Immediately following the 2023 season, work will begin. This requires construction crews to create a massive hole in the pump room exterior wall to remove the old filters. Once the new filters are installed the exterior wall will be replaced.

Price tag for sand filter replacements, $37,000.

Next, “Project – Pool Resurfacing.”

The entire shell of the pool at Nansemond Swim Club is covered in a plaster coating. This plaster enhances the aesthetics of the pool and more importantly provides a watertight seal which helps keep water from escaping. As you might have guessed the plaster at Nansemond Swim Club is past its end of life and needs to be replaced. Each year member volunteers help patch critical areas in the pool which are great short-term fixes. However, an entire resurfacing of the pool is necessary.

Price tag for resurfacing the pool, $100,000.

Lastly, “All the Small Things.”

Nansemond Swim Club has a laundry list of things that need attention. Each year through the dedication of our volunteers’ things fall off the list while simultaneously new ones find their way on to the list. We are talking about all the not so fun things like replacing electrical panels, a new roof, lights in the pool, and replacing the diving board.

All the small things price tag - > $50,000

Nansemond Swim Club is 55 years old and the project list continues to grow. While the Board of Directors does their best job each year to ensure funds are set aside for projects, the cost of these efforts is substantially larger than what the Club can realistically fund in the timeframe required. The fight to save Nansemond Swim Club starts here. We are asking for donations to help fund these major critical infrastructure projects. This will allow the pool to continue to open for many years to come which will provide members and the communities of Suffolk, Smithfield, Isle of Wight and surrounding areas the opportunity to create new lifetime memories and friendships.

For those that have visited Nansemond Swim Club, those that haven’t, and those that want to see this pillar of the community continue to thrive we are asking you make a donation to our Go Fund Me. All proceeds go directly into the critical infrastructure projects and tangentially into the hearts and memories of our fellow neighbors.

Visit us at the pool or online!