The $9 million Orangeburg County Aquatic Center is on budget and scheduled for completion by April 2010, officials say.

The gymnasium and locker rooms have been built and the pool has been installed, according to Orangeburg County Community Development Deputy Administrator Harold Young.

The parking lot will be paved in about three weeks. The construction of slide towers for the outdoor water park will begin Dec. 1.

“We didn’t want to focus on a spray area because the city already has a spray park. We weren’t trying to duplicate that,” Young said. “This is more water rides and slides.

“The lazy river will have tents and gazebos that can be rented for parties. There will also be a separate body of water designated just for the smaller kids.”

Young says a benefit of the project is the money contractors are spending in the local economy. He estimates the total for local labor payroll, equipment and material purchases in Orangeburg County to date is $800,000-$1 million.



“Anything the main contractor, Palmetto Construction Group of Charleston, could get locally, it has gotten locally,” Young said. “We not only wanted to see the county benefit from the facility but from the job creation and the revenue that comes along with the project.

“The pool company is from Florida and all their workers are staying in local hotels every night. Their fuel and meals are also purchased locally. That’s something we’re very appreciative of and have stressed from day one.”

Half of the funding for the $8.996 million project will come from the one-cent capital sales tax and the other half from the county’s capital fund.

Young said the cost is significantly under what officials thought it would be at this point.

“We had a few design changes because of (S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control) regulations that were required,” Young said. “The changes we have done lately have come about from us visiting other places and learning new things.

“A lot of the design on the inside is due to (Columbia YMCA CEO Bryan) Madden’s experience with the Y, knowing what works and what doesn’t work and then tailoring that to the Orangeburg area.”

Touring the St. Matthews Road work site Thursday, Madden was excited by what he saw.

“This will be the nicest Y in the state, bar none,” Madden said. “County officials have been adamant about making certain Orangeburg County citizens have access to this and for it to reflect an extremely high quality.”

Madden says his directors are satisfied with a proposed agreement for the Columbia YMCA to operate and maintain the Orangeburg facility.

“Our executive committee has approved it,” Madden said. “The next step is to get the blessing of county council.”

Orangeburg County Administrator Bill Clark says the agreement between the YMCA and the county is still being negotiated.

“I received a draft from the YMCA on Monday and I’ll be reviewing it with the county attorney,” Clark said. “We want to get some level of agreement of all parties before it goes on to county council for adoption.”

Last spring Clark said under the basic agreement, the YMCA will operate and maintain the center. The YMCA would also provide exercise and other equipment, and programming for all ages.

Orangeburg County Council Vice Chairman Janie Cooper says it is gratifying to see the project has gotten to this point. She says an aquatic center was considered by council before the first capital penny sales tax referendum passed in 1998.

“There has been a need for a swimming area for many, many years and people were asking about it,” Cooper said. “Mr. (former Council Chairman John) Rickenbacker and I collaborated on this. When we brought it before council everyone thought it was a great idea.”

Cooper says need-based scholarships will be available to help people use the center.

“Those in the surrounding counties can come and use it, too,” Cooper said. “That means it could be a money maker or at least be self-sufficient.”

“We have seen aquatic centers here and in other states to find out what people want to see in these facilities,” she said. “When you give people what they want, they will use it.”

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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