With just weeks remaining before the popular swim center at Randallstown Community Center temporarily closes and transitions to Baltimore County management, the Department of Recreation and Parks held a community listening session Aug. 18 at the community center to hear residents’ concerns, suggestions and priorities for the facility.
County officials said they will consider community members’ comments at the meeting, as well as feedback gathered through an online survey and comment cards distributed at the meeting will help shape future programming, operating hours and other offerings at the Randallstown center.
The swim center opened in 2009 under the management of the Y of Central Maryland. In April, the Y notified county officials that it would not renew its lease to operate the county-owned pools in Randallstown and Dundalk.
Beginning Aug. 31, the Department of Recreation and Parks will assume management of both pools. It will close temporarily and reopen in the upcoming weeks with a new operating schedule.
At the well-attended meeting, department staff acknowledged that the county has not previously operated the facilities but assured residents that staff have received the required training and certifications to manage the aquatic centers.
When the floor opened for questions and comments, residents offered a range of suggestions and concerns. Among them were requests for early hours, more affordably-priced membership fees, cleaner dressing rooms, greater privacy and additional space in the women’s changing areas, regular pool maintenance and temperature monitoring, and more consistent lifeguard coverage.
Paula Dorsey, a 12-year Y member, outlined several recommendations for the county.
“We need a safe, controlled environment to include a clean facility, pool, pool deck, locker rooms and bathrooms,” she said. “Everybody should not be able to walk in [to the pool area].”
Dorsey also called for cleanliness, a professional and customer-service-oriented management team, and better communication with residents through text messages and email. She also asked for reasonable membership fees and that program activities be included in the fees.
Owings Mills resident Linda Dorsey Walker suggested reducing the amount of space devoted to bleachers and proposed creating a community committee to work with the county on developing a plan for the facility.
Other residents focused on opportunities to expand the swim center’s role in the community.
A competitive swim coach from the Halethorpe area received applause when he suggested that Recreation and Parks partner with the Baltimore County Board of Education to establish a competitive high school swim program in the area. Another speaker proposed partnering with physical therapists to expand the pool’s therapeutic uses.
Several residents also shared personal experiences about how swimming and water-aerobics programs have helped them maintain healthier lifestyles, lose weight and reduce their reliance on prescription medications.
While residents welcomed the county’s commitment to keeping the pool open, some expressed concerns about what they viewed as inadequate preparation and planning for the transition, particularly given the limited time before the county assumes operations.
Acting Recreation and Parks Director Bryan Sheppard pushed back on those concerns, explaining that the anticipated reopening in late September will give county staff and contractors time to prepare the facility, complete necessary maintenance and hire lifeguards.
“To start, we want to get the pool open and provide continued service and build it so it works for everybody,” Sheppard said. “We want to continue operations so it’s not a complete loss.”
Staff said they anticipate reopening with approximately 30 hours of operating time initially, with programming expected to evolve based on community feedback.
“We want to make sure we’re programming to meet your needs,” Sheppard said.
The county is continuing to accept public feedback through an online survey, available through the Department of Recreation and Parks’ aquatic centers and programs page.