High School Pool Faces Possible Closure

The pool at Seekonk High School faces closure unless the school’s air handling unit is replaced. The system is at the end of its life and requires frequent maintenance.

“Without a functioning air handling unit, the pool will become unusable due to the buildup of toxic chemicals,” School Business Administrator Ryan McGee noted.
Jim Roy, the Supervisor for Buildings and Grounds for the district, explained the air handling unit dehumidifies and heats the entire pool area.

“I’m losing all the freon,” Roy said. “It’s very expensive to replace all the freon. The chlorine eats up all the metals over the years. After 25 years, it’s at the end of its life.”

McGee was seeking $725,000 for the purchase of a new air handling unit. The Select Board declined to place the item on the warrant for the Fall Town Meeting last month. The price could end up being lower than $725,000. Roy said the project has to go out to bid first.

“It gets a lot of use,” said Principal William Whalen, noting the pool is used not only by the swim team and swim club, but by the Marine Science class, the business class, and lifeguarding classes as well. The pool is in demand by other school districts.

“Our school team co-opts with a few other schools,” Whalen continued. “They’re coming here every day from Swansea and from Somerset.”

If the pool closes, Whalen notes no alternative locations have been proposed.
“We don’t have a budget for this if we close it down,” Roy said, noting the swim club pays for all the chemicals used for the pool.

“You can’t just shut the pool down because it’s 12 feet deep. It’s in the water table. Even if you drain it, there’s still going to be about four feet of water in the pool. Per the health department, you can’t have stagnant water in the building so you still got to dehumidify (the area). It’s a safety issue when you have a pool that’s empty, you’ve got to close it off,” Roy added.

Superintendent Rebecca Kidwell explained that the school department has focused on making the pool a source of community engagement. Trained lifeguards provided swim lessons to children and adolescents.

“If the community still views (the pool) as a resource, we would like to keep it in play,” Kidwell said last October. “I think it’s something that makes Seekonk High unique, something that we’re proud of, and it’s something that we can use more effectively.”

“We are trying to provide quality programming that other school districts don’t have,” said School Committee Chair Robert Gerardi, adding the use of the pool for athletic competitions and other events is a source of revenue.