Article submitted by James Master, reporter for The Pilot News
The future of the Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center has been the source of rumors in the last few months. Those involved with the operation of the 27,000 square foot facility recently sat down with the media to combat these rumors.
For those that may not know, the aquatic center is owned by Marshall County Life Center Inc, which then leases to Marshall County Health and Wellness Inc. The board of directors for that company, Marshall County Health and Wellness Inc, includes representatives from the three major users of the center, those being the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Community School Corporation, and Ancilla College. The representatives that form the board are City Attorney Sean Surrisi, Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter, PCSC Superintendent Andy Hartley, and Ancilla College Board of Directors Chairperson John Chandler.
According to Surrisi, that group had a lease to another company, Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center, LLC which was owned by Rick and Barb Miller. That company would be the operators of the aquatic center.
The terms of the 10- year lease provided that the Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center LLC meet the obligations of Marshall County Health and Wellness Inc with the other subleases to the City of Plymouth, Ancilla College, and PCSC.
“So you have to provide them with the time that they are allotted to use the facility. And then basically you can use the facility for any other purposes that you see fit,” Surrisi explained.
Any profits generated would have been received by the Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center LLC as long as the facilities operating expenses were paid.
Surrisi went on to explain that after two years, the company would have been able to exit the deal as long as the company provided a six month notice to exit.
Before breaking ground in 2018, the contract between the two companies was signed. However in September of 2019, Marshall County Health and Wellness Inc was informed that the Miller’s were not going to be going forward as the operators of the aquatic center.
“Which really came as a shock to all of us and we had to figure out how are we going to keep this going,” said Surrisi.
A meeting of the Marshall County Health and Wellness Board followed. The board was informed of what had happened because the obligation to run the facility would fall back to that company. After having meetings with the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation and the Marshall County Life Center, it was decided that a new company would be an interim operator for the aquatic facility. That company is called Dr. Susan Bardwell Swimming LLC.
That company is now up and running and after some transition, Leanne Senter serves as the director of operations.
Dr. Susan Bardwell Swimming LLC is meant to be a temporary solution. Surrisi stated that they are searching for a permanent solution meaning getting another organization to become the operator of the aquatic center.
“There’s some funding that was built into the transaction as contingency funding that is remaining that has been used for the operations thus far. We’re in a good place for that funding to keep the operations going probably for about a year. So that gives us some breathing room to figure out ultimately how the operations are going to be funded,” said Surrisi.
The City Council was notified of these events and now the media has as well. Surrisi hopes that now that it’s in the public, some new conversations with people that have new ideas can contribute.
Looking forward, there are new programs and additions that will be coming to the aquatic center.
Mayor Mark Senter stated that on Feb. 12 will be the last competition for Leanne Senter as coach as she will be retiring. The athletic department will be planning something for that event.
Dr. Susan Bardwell Aquatic Center hours of operation for Feb. 2 – 8 is Sunday Open Swim from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. and Saturday Lap Swim 10 a.m. till 12 p.m. and then open swim from 12 p.m. till 4 p.m. For a single visit, the price is $5 for City of Plymouth resident and $7 for non-City of Plymouth resident.
