By MIKE CAPUTO
The pool was fully operational when the incident occurred, at about 12:45 p.m. on April 8, but there were no injuries. "We were very lucky," said Ian Siegel, deputy county executive for parks and public works.
The Olympic-size pool, used by swim teams, community organizations, schools and residents from across the county, was immediately closed, and will not re-open until May 1 at the earliest, county officials said. The fitness center overlooking the pool remains open.
Signs alerting patrons to the pool's closing did not stop some regulars from showing up with their swimsuits the following day. "People were saying, 'How come I can't swim?'" said Ron Beale, the Aquatic Center's director of operations. "They were willing to come in."
According to Siegel, the light fixture dislodged from the stainless steel and electrical cables that held it nearly 50 feet above the pool. The pool was drained earlier this week, at the recommendation of the county health department and after a review of the state health department's sanitary code, he said.
The county has had no shortage of problems at the facility, which was built for the 1998 Goodwill Games and remains one of the nation's most highly regarded aquatic complexes. Since the county took over its operations when the pool was opened to the public after the Games, it has faced a litany of financial and maintenance issues.
In 2004, the county filed a lawsuit against eight agencies involved with the development and construction of the facility between 1996 and 1998. The county contends that a number of maintenance problems resulted from poor development and construction by the agencies. One of the charges focused on the developers' decision to use stainless steel over fiberglass-reinforced plastic for the ductwork. The county blames the stainless steel for corrosion in the ducts and the wiring.
Another of the charges, ironically, detailed the need to repair stainless steel support wires to prevent light fixtures from falling.
The lawsuit has yet to be settled and is expected to go into mediation soon. The county is hoping for a decision or a settlement by June 2010, Siegel said.
The 81,000-square-foot pool, one of the largest in the Northern Hemisphere, has hosted a number of headline events since the Goodwill Games, including both the men's and women's NCAA Swimming and Diving
Championships.
According to Senior Manager James Muessig, the Aquatic Center has about 1,800 members, who use not only the pool, but a hot tub and sauna and a wide range of equipment in the fitness center. Muessig estimated that 400 to 500 people use the facility on a daily basis.
The center offers fitness classes, personal training programs and swimming lessons. (See sidebar for more on the Aquatic Center's offerings.)
Members live in all parts of the county, but most are from the surrounding communities of East Meadow, Westbury and Levittown, Muessig said.
Larry Wiltse, a Merrick resident and a 10-year-member, said he enjoys using the fitness center with his friends, but noted that the county should look at ways to save money and make improvements without spending it on litigation. "As a taxpayer, I don't mind being taxes to have things fixed that need to be fixed," he said. "I hate my tax money going to lawyers that they hire to sue one another. And then it doesn't get fixed."
The Aquatic Center has operated at a loss since it opened, and in 2003 the county even considered bringing in an outside organization to help manage it. That plan was ultimately rejected, but membership figures have risen since then, and the facility has come close to breaking even in recent years. In 2008 its operating expenses totaled $1.8 million, and the facility generated $1.7 million in revenue, Siegel said.
According to county officials, the number of memberships has climbed from 1,200 to 1,800 over the past three years, and demand is so high that there are no free time slots to reserve the pool.
"I would venture to say that the only way a facility like this can truly break even and even become profitable is if the problems highlighted in the complaint are fixed, because then we can go out and get sponsorships and subsidize costs and utility expenses," he said.
According to the county, experts have estimated that a major renovation project to remediate all of the pool's deficiencies and prevent future problems from occurring would cost about $20 million.
The facility usually closes for about three weeks at the end of August so the pool can be drained, cleaned and repaired.
Unless the facility undergoes a major renovation, officials say, the center will be unable to host any more national- and world-class competitions, because it does not meet the strict specifications set by swimming's governing bodies.
"The building is a very unique facility enjoyed by thousands of people every year," Siegel said. "We feel it is important for it to be a properly functioning and vibrant facility."
Comments about this story? MCaputo@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
