What will the Scarsdale pool look like in a couple of years?
Trustees and residents met last Tuesday to discuss plans for aging community asset.
BY DEBORAH SKOLNIK
On Tuesday evening, the Village Board of Trustees presided over a well-attended presentation on renovation plans for the Scarsdale Pool Complex. “Complex” is also an adjective that perfectly describes the meeting, as schematics were scrutinized, tentative costs revealed, and concerned residents took turns stating their observations, wish lists, and warnings.
Trustee Karen L. Brew presented the slide that would attract the most attention of the evening: an aerial-view sketch of what the renovated complex, for which ground will be broken in the fall of 2025, might look like. Officials stressed the drawing is only conceptual at this point.
A project born of necessity
“To frame tonight's discussion, our pool complex has been a beloved neighborhood gathering place and the hallmark of our community for generations, in fact, since nineteen sixty-eight, ” Brew said. “But it's now fifty-six years old and the facility is long past it's useful life, and the village is now forced to consider the future of the complex. After a series of studies and reviews, it was determined that renovations or repairs are just not a viable option, and that redevelopment of the complex is the only course available at this stage.”
Brew went on to say that the town’s experienced consultants would speak, and residents would be invited to as well. “This meeting is an opportunity to have an open and productive discussion with the full board, as well as all of you in the community and anyone online,” she said. She also stressed that the project is no mere whim on the trustees’ part. “We as a board, did not pursue or seek out this pool renovation project. There is no agenda here,” she shared. “All of us here are stewards doing what we can at this juncture to address the critical needs of the pool's infrastructure and to keep the process moving forward so that the existence of our beloved pool complex remains a possibility in the future.”
Ready to jump in? Residents expressed some skepticism about the proposed pool complex layout, as well as its tentative price tag.
Early days for this major effort
Village Manager Alexandra Marshall followed Brew, sharing a timeline of the nearly two dozen steps officials have taken since 2021 to arrive at the present proposed plan for the renovation. She explained that the current plans were not just overseen by the trustees, but also by a pool redevelopment advisory committee (PRAC) comprised of residents representing multiple boards and constituencies within the Village. “We also had a working group of trustees, staff, the PRAC chair, and professionals who met periodically throughout this process, she said.
Brew also showed a slide illustrating where in the process things currently stand. Much like the map at the Westchester Mall, it had a “You are here” arrow, showing that the town is at the second step of an eight-stage project that began with requests for proposals from relevant businesses, and will end with the actual construction.
The pros, and their past projects
Attendees were soon introduced to staff members from Lothrop Associates, selected to design and execute the project. A slide showed the firm created some 40 to 50 public swimming facilities in and nearby New York, while another slide showed samples of some of the company’s completed complexes.
Check out their work Lothrop’s pool projects reflect well on them.
Survey says…
Larry Medvinsky, chair of the Parks Recreation and Conservation Advisory Council to the Village, presented results of surveys of Scarsdale Village residents. Among the findings were that 90% of respondents are current or former members of the pool, while 95% agree that it’s an important element of the community. An equal 95% supported enhancement or updating of our pool. Based on this and other feedback, Medvinsky said, it’s clear “how much people value, love and appreciate the pool.”
To make sure the future complex meets Scarsdale’s needs, it would not only be brought up to code but boast many enhancements. Better handicapped access and zero entry pool areas would be incorporated, as would family changing rooms. The concessions stand could operate not just within the pool complex but be open to others as well. Rental storage space would make it possible for members to keep chairs and other gear at the pool rather than having to lug them to and from home.
Putting the pool back on the map
As can be seen in the upper left-hand portion of the aerial sketch, there would be a competition-ready lap pool that would also have diving and adult leisure. The main pool would remain in roughly its current locale, minus lap lanes, while the children’s pool area would have added splash pads.
Yet, officials reminded attendees and online viewers, the sketch is still highly conceptual. Other potential amenities include areas for water basketball and water rock climbing area, and another separate dive area. Most importantly, the park-like feel of the complex will be preserved.
Inevitable sticker shock
Of course, a state-of-the art facility is a big-ticket item. Depending on whether or not the lap-pool area would be enclosed, the price tag for the overhaul will likely be in the neighborhood of $43 to $54 million. Put in perspective, a $41 million bond to finance most of the project would amount to an annual tax increase of $504 per household for 20 years, based on an average home assessment of $1.6 million.
The meeting was then opened to in-person and online attendees, many of whom understandably had something to say. What follows are synopses of some residents’ comments:
Let’s talk numbers Residents will have to pay about $500 more in property taxes for the next 20 years.
Susan Levine, Ardmore Road: “I've lived here since the pool was built and I've been a member for a number of years and I'm here to represent the thousands of families who have been pool complex members over these 58 years…the rest of the town will not be seduced by anything you do…they're not going to come [to the pool] because you offer them something new, something different, something more expensive, something extra. The people who join don't belong to country clubs, have summer homes in the Berkshires or in the Hamptons or anywhere…If you're [at the pool] on a weekend or even during the week, you'll see hundreds of families enjoying the pools as they are. They'd like the complex to pretty much remain the same in its feel and its acceptance and its spirit and its beauty.”
Marian Green, Chair of the Disability Council: “Handicap parking currently is only at the little school—no good. We need more than one handicap bathroom in the women's bathroom in particular…we're having a hard time with wheelchairs…the angle of repose of the slopes, is very difficult for people. Once you're at the lower level of the pools, it's hard for people to get back up… We have many members in the community who have neurological issues, and so [designating a quiet space at the pool would be very good thing to have] for somebody to go and decompress…we want to be as inclusive as possible.”
Marian Schoen, 28 Springdale Road: “…I think the $500 increase in taxes is quite significant. I'd also like to know what you expect the yearly charge for the resident would be if they belong to the pool. So you have a $500 tax increase, plus you're going to have some sort of yearly fee for those people who belong…I would like to know why you can't start with what you have and just make changes to that. [Village officials explained that the equipment is too outdated and the infrastructure is too far gone.
Myra Saul, 5 Lincoln Road: “I accept that the pool needs to be rebuilt and that creates the opportunity to make enhancements, but I am also listening to my neighbors here. Those enhancements must be reasonable and cost effective, and further discussions need to be made regarding these marginal improvements, so to speak. Maybe the high school would be using using the pool as a facility for practice. So I don't know whether this is feasible, but if this is made into a year-round facility, can the school chip in some money? [Officials later explained this is not a possibility.]
Scott Mishara, 216 Nelson Road: “When I'm at the pool, I see adults in the lap pool and I see young crazy kids in the diving pool. I don't know if you want those together.”
Joan Uchitelle, 16 Ridgecrest West: “My concern is about the percentage of Scarsdale residents who belong to the pool as opposed to those who are not residents. It's my understanding that the last couple of years we've been accepting several hundred [nonresidents] and that number could possibly be going up because I don't see young people joining the pool the same way they did when I first came here.
Meredith Launer, 23 Elm Road: “I spent ten years of my recent life trying to get an indoor pool added to Scarsdale. And I am thrilled that we need to rebuild the outdoor pool complex. I see it as a plethora of opportunity…I would strongly urge you to consider a year-’round facility from the start.”
Alan Garfunkel, 63 Lincoln Road: I go to the early morning swim and I'm speaking partly on their behalf [others who go to early swim. We are] actually disappointed in the lane pool because right now we have 11 lanes and they're full the whole morning….If anything, we need more lap lanes and not fewer.”
Barbara Grabeel, 4 Tompkins Road: “Where is the snack bar going to be? What is the building by the competition pool?… What will be the new capacity of the new pool? Where are the zero entry areas? I can't figure this out at all…You have steps to the right of the leisure pool. I assume that's a step area that's going to be difficult for people to navigate. It looks like there's diving boards into the main pool…Are the pools going to be heated? If they are, which ones? Right now we have a main problem because the pool is not heated.”
After further discussion of the proposed plans, officials urged everyone who has additional comments and insights to send them to poolcomments@scarsdale.gov. The Village plans to forward further feedback to the consultants by December 1. Hopefully, the meeting brought Scarsdale closer to finally taking the plunge.