Parrish Healthcare to discontinue its indoor pool operations effective Sept. 30, 2023

The indoor pool at our Parrish Healthcare Center on Cheney Highway (formerly Parrish Health & Fitness Center) has been a popular community amenity for more than 20 years. However, given the current challenges with maintaining safe pool operations for everyone all the time and the ongoing need to reduce expenses, it has become necessary to discontinue pool operations. Closing the pool to the public will be effective September 30, 2023.

The challenges include (1) an aging pool infrastructure and the need to make major repairs in order to remain in compliance with state regulations; (2) increasing pool maintenance expenses; and (3) balancing affordability and user experience. Annually, the cost to operate the indoor, heated pool and therapy pool, is roughly $168,000. Annual revenue received from pool fees paid by wellness center members and swim groups that lease pool time is approximately $56,232. The difference means we are operating at an annual loss of $111,768. Closing the gap and bringing the operation to breakeven would require both a drastic increase in pool use/membership fees as well as a drastic increase in the number of pool users. This would negatively impact the user experience and affordability. And, ultimately would further negatively impact operations.

Additionally, recent inspections by the Department of Health resulted in several recommendations to complete major repairs to the aging pool infrastructure in order to remain in compliance with state regulations and sustain a safe swimming environment. The needed repairs will cost more than $500,000; will require the pool to be closed for many months; and will further negatively impact operations as there will be zero revenue received during those months. Given these harsh operational realities and the current economic climate, continuing to absorb the loss associated with pool operations and investing another half a million into just the pool infrastructure is not possible. As such, pool operations, including therapy pool operations, will be closed effective Sept. 30, 2023.

“We are proud to have been able to serve as the community’s only indoor swimming option for these past 20 years and the decision to close pool operations was not made lightly,” said Parrish Healthcare spokesperson Natalie Sellers. “We understand that this news will not be welcomed and beg the community’s understanding at having had to make this very difficult decision,” added Sellers.

As has been widely report in the news, hospitals everywhere are cutting expenses up to and including making staff reductions, in the face of operating losses. “Our priority is to preserve jobs and identify other means of optimizing our operations and reducing expenses,” said Sellers.

Current pool patrons, will have access to the pool until September 30, 2023 and their pool fees will be waived from July 1, 2023 to September 30, 2023.