New aquatic center work nearing completion

Staffing for the new Pinetree Recreation Center has officially begun, as developer Carroll Daniel Construction puts the finishing touches on the $12.9 million facility ahead of its anticipated grand opening this spring.
“You can always know when a project is coming to completion,” noted County Manager Alan Ours.
“A couple of weeks ago they took down the construction trailer for the superintendent. Soon they’ll pave the parking lot and put another layer of asphalt on here.”
Ours took The Nugget on an exclusive walk-through of the complex Monday, to get a closer look at progress on the long-awaited project.
“The interior portion is estimated to open mid-April and the aquatic portion is estimated to open in mid-May,” Ours reported.
But in order to make that opening a reality, a number of key positions need to be filled first.
“There will be two full-time positions and 50 to 60 part-time positions. The University of North Georgia is helping the County with marketing the positions to their students,” Ours said.
So far the County has already filled one of the available full-time roles, with Jared Ray named as center manager beginning January 16.
The County is still looking to fill the role of full-time assistant manager, however, as well as the other part-time positions, like lifeguards and concession stand workers.
“Those job descriptions will be on the February agenda for the board of commissioners,” Ours indicated.

DEFRAYING COSTS

The Pinetree Recreation Center will have an annual budget of $729,000. However, the center will also provide a number of new revenue streams for the County to help subsidize those substantial operating costs.
The most obvious revenue will be generated by tickets for the pool itself.
Ours showed off a room on the front left corner of the building with an exterior ticket window.
“We’re still finalizing the fee structure to present to the board [of commissioners] in March,” Ours said.
He suggested that there will be options to buy a single-use daily pass or a long-term membership.
Another source of revenue will be snack sales.
Across the hall from the ticket booth is an indoor concessions kitchen with a refrigerator, ice machine and storage. The room will feature both an interior service window and a second exterior window facing the outdoor pool.
“Another way to enhance our revenues is if a local business wants to advertise on it then they’ll be allowed to advertise for a set fee. It helps promote the community and also helps generate some revenue.”
Ours said the advertisements will be displayed on large monitors hanging on the walls of the facility and the pool room.
The final, and likely the largest, revenue source for the center will come from renting public meeting space.
A connecting hallway leads from the concessions room to the large interior gymnasium, which will be home to two high school regulation basketball courts separated by a moveable curtain, two indoor volleyball courts and four indoor pickleball courts.
“The other thing that we designed the facility for is we will have a mat for the floor and tables and chairs … If a group or organization wants to rent this facility for a luncheon or dinner, they’ll be able to do so … we designed that in such a way so there’s a door from that so it can be turned into a catering kitchen. It’s a beautiful space with a beautiful view of the mountains for some type of event,” Ours explained.
The facility also boasts another smaller meeting room, suitable for business or other small group work.
“There’s a partition here, so this will be able to be divided off. This room will be available certainly for County staff, but it will also be available for members of the public to rent,” he continued.
Even more rental space is located around the back side of the building.
“On each corner of the building is a 20’ x 20’ room that has an outdoor entrance, and also an entrance from the gym, that people can rent for pool parties. The floor is poured-in-place epoxy finish so people can come in there with their swimsuits and have a birthday party inside,” Ours said.
Finally, Ours said there will even be a rate for someone to rent the entire swim facility outright.
“If a company, family, or whomever wants to rent the pool, lazy river, etc. on a Saturday evening, they’ll be able to do that. Those rates are still to be determined, but they could rent the whole facility,” he said.

TOUR TIME

As you enter the aquatic center from the front parking lot, a large welcome desk is located straight ahead. behind the desk is a wall that separates the lobby from the gymnasium.
Two long corridors stretch out to the right and left of the lobby area.
The right-hand corridor leads to an IT equipment room, the business meeting room, a set of interior restrooms and the exit to the six lighted outdoor pickleball courts.
The left-hand corridor includes two administrative offices for the manager and the assistant manager, an employee break room, the ticket booth, the concession area, and the exit to the eight-lane outdoor competition swimming pool, the water slide and a lazy river with wave pool and kids’ fun zone.
“The indoor facility will be open year round,” Ours said. “The hours are yet to be determined, but I would expect them to be very similar to the current community center for Parks & Rec.”
Ours said the lights for the outdoor pickleball courts will be controlled by the front desk, and that public access will only be allowed while the facility is open.  
“That’s all subject to change,” he said regarding the center’s hours of operation. “We’re entering into this with flexibility in mind, and we’ll adapt as needed.”
As it currently stands, the outdoor swimming pool portion will only be open during late spring and summer. While an enclosing dome, or “bubble,” had been discussed for the pool at one time, the County decided that the money to pay for an enclosure would need to be provided by the school system or some other entity.
Ours said the County’s position on funding the bubble has not changed, but making the pool operable year-round remains a future possibility.
“That is still an option. The footings would have to be done at a later time, but it is possible,” he said.

FIRST-CLASS FACILITY

In addition to all of the other amenities, a paved circular walking track will follow along the fence surrounding the aquatic center, which the public will be able to access any time for exercise.
“It’s going to be wonderful for the community: a very fun, enjoyable place for families and even our visitors,” Ours said.
“I was talking to Sam McDuffie at the tourism bureau, and he was excited about it because he said a lot of times the visitors during the summer time might tube the river, they might shop the square, they might hike a trail, but then what else is there to do? This will add another venue for people, especially in the summer, to visit and partake in.”