January 17, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
A new pool facility opening date of 2022 would coincide with the 100th anniversary of the South Shore Country Club, and that's the goal.
The estimated $7 million overall proposal -- contingent on 2021 Town Meeting approval to finance the project -- includes a new eight-lane outdoor pool with splash pad, bathroom/locker facilities, and spectator area -- built to accommodate a year-round bubble. One expected use is hosting Hingham High swim meets.
The Community Preservation Committee's recent vote to include the SSCC Management Committee's requested $500,000 for the creation of design/construction documents for a new town pool at South Shore Country Club in its recommendations for the April 27 Town Meeting came as good new to committee members. This funding, if approved by Town Meeting, would come from the town's Community Preservation Act coffers.
Unanimous CPC support
"With such a strong docket of requests, we were thrilled to receive unanimous CPC support of the town pool project," said management committee chair Christine Smith. "The $500,000 to begin the process of designing and costing out a new seasonal town pool at SSCC is the first step toward the hopeful opening of a new pool facility in conjunction with the Club's centennial.
"I am very thankful for the hard work of many community volunteers and our Executive Director Kevin Whalen for defining a feasible project to be enjoyed by our entire community," Smith said.
The Management Committee's initial CPC request related to a South Shore Country Club improvement plan that included a year-round outdoor pool with a bubble over it ($2.75 million request to be funded over 11 years to help pay the debt service on the overall project that included capital investment in the entire facility).
Two-year timeframe
"This change is primarily due to the lack of swift fundraising needed to provide dollars to enable us to present a designed/budgeted project for presentation of a capital dollar ask at the upcoming Town Meeting," Smith said. "In addition, SSCC needs to address the immediate need of designing, building, and financing a new turf care facility [through the Country Club enterprise fund]. Pacing these projects over a two-year period makes more practical sense as we continue to operate our facility."
Smith said the modified request for $500,000 will allow time to better design and budget a new town pool at the Club without relying on fundraising.
She also stated that the Management Committee is hoping to bring forth the pool project for capital funding at Town Meeting 2021, "using a combination of CPA and town dollars."
According to a Hingham benchmark town survey, 11 of those 19 communities have municipal pools, including Braintree, Cohasset, Lexington, Wellesley, Weston, Westwood, and Weymouth.
The pool facility would be relocated to the current tennis court site. Those courts would be moved toward the front of the facility. The existing pool site/maintenance facility would be demolished and repurposed as part of the master plan for the entire Club.