Recent improvements to the Red Bank Community Pool include a mushroom fountain in the kiddie pool.When the Red Bank Community Pool opens for the season Saturday, May 28, visitors will notice a few upgrades, with new water features in the kiddie pool area among the most noticeable improvements.
Earlier this year, members of the Red Bank City Commission voted unanimously to fund revitalization of the pool, including replacing the liners for both the main and kiddie pools, a new roof for the concessions stand and pump house, and a mushroom fountain and deck jets for the kiddie pool.
The lowest bid the city received from outside contractors for the work was $136,000. By using its Public Works Department to do much of the work in-house, the city was able to save approximately $40,000, officials said.
“The public works department, under the leadership of Tim Thornbury, did a fantastic job with this project,” said Commissioner Terry Pope, adding that without Red Bank Pool Advisory Committee members William Camp, Rufus Smith, Dennis Phiffer, Brett King, Roberta Stafford and Carol Smith, as well as former pool committee member and former Red Bank Commissioner Ken Welch, the pool would have closed 15 years ago.
Opened in 1962, the pool was operated by the city of Red Bank until 2001, when the City Commission voted to close the pool, citing budget difficulties. A group of concerned swim team parents formed a nonprofit organization, the Red Bank Pool Advisory Committee, which took over operation and maintenance of the pool, said Pope.
Over the years, the group – which is made up entirely of volunteers – has made various improvements, including the additions of covered picnic areas, deck chairs and a patio. Five years ago, the committee paid for a new filtration system for the main and kiddie pools, at a cost of less than $50,000 because committee members did the installation themselves.
The lowest bid by contractors was over $150,000, Pope said.
The RBPAC is also responsible for the salary of the lifeguards, pool director, cost of pool chemicals and liability insurance. The committee gets its funds from donations, pool gate receipts, concessions sales, pool party rental fees, the sale of signs on the fence behind the pool and fees from the swim team, he said.
Pope said he considers the pool, which is the only pool north of the river in Hamilton County that is open to the general public, to be a major asset to the city.
“We are in competition with other municipalities to attract new residents. Without young families moving to your city, it will eventually cease to exist,” he said, adding that offering amenities such as parks, playgrounds, walking trails, baseball and softball fields and community swimming pools shows potential residents that the city is progressing. “Practically every new housing development coming to Chattanooga has a community pool. The city of Fort Oglethorpe a few years back spent over $1 million on a new pool for their city park.”
Located next to Erlanger North at 3620 Tom Weathers Drive, the Red Bank Pool offers a season pass covering unlimited visits for a family of four for $150, plus $15 for each additional family member. Daily admission is $4 per person and free for children age 3 and younger, and there is also a senior citizen discount. Two-hour pool rentals for parties start at $175.