
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 18, 1991                   TAG: 9104190345
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NEAL THOMPSON EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BOARD OKS PLAN FOR POOL ASSCEE

Roanoke schools are a step closer to gaining access to a new indoor pool now that the School Board has approved a swim club's plan to build the pool on school property.

Roanoke Valley Swimming Inc., a non-profit organization, first proposed building the pool in September. Last week, School Board members endorsed a leasing plan and agreed to let the company build on land between Fishburn Park Elementary and Madison Middle school.

School officials plan to use the pool to teach elementary school pupils to swim. One tentative plan is to give swimming lessons to all pupils before grade five, said Business Affairs Executive Richard Kelley.

Schools will be able to use the pool during the day and swim clubs will use it at night. Roanoke Valley Swimming's spokesman Doug Fonder told City Council that the group was raising funds for the construction.

Construction could begin within six months and is estimated to cost about $400,000, according to a press release the city issued Monday.

Under a proposed 10-year lease agreement, Fonder's group would lease 1.3 acres for the 25-yard, eight-lane pool. City schools would be able to use the pool free for 150 hours each year. But any additional time would cost the city $3.50 an hour for each lane used.

City schools now pay $4,500 a year for Patrick Henry High School's swim team to use the pool at the Lancerlot Sports Complex.

Kelley said the high school team could use the 150 free hours at the new pool, and the $5,000 budgeted each year for pool use would cover the extra cost of having elementary school pupils use the pool.

City elementary school pupils have not had access to a swimming pool for many years, and the city's two pools only operate during the summer.

Kelley said the administration was working on plans for its first aquatics program. All city students would be bused to the new pool for swimming lessons one hour each week during the six-week program, Kelley said.

City Council and School Board members have said the new pool is long overdue. Council plans to vote soon on the lease agreement and will then submit the plans for public bid. The pool could eventually become city-owned if the lease is not renewed.

Operation of the pool would be overseen by a committee of representatives from the city, city schools, Roanoke Valley Swimming and Virginia Western Community College.

by CNB