Devoted swimmers were forced to find their swim fix in Flathead Lake this month while Mission Valley Aquatics and Fitness was closed for significant repairs and upgrades.

According to the center’s director, Rayanne Crick, the 13-year-old pool was long overdue for a facelift. She anticipates reopening the Polson facility after Labor Day.

“So right now, we're in the process of just giving this place a complete overhaul,” she said Monday.

Those improvements include demolition and reconstruction of a new deck around the saltwater therapy pool and diving board and blocks, installation of a new water softener, resealing the roof, removing rust from metal struts that support the ceiling, and repairing the air conditioning units and the motors that run the pumps.

The decking around the therapy pool has been corroded by salt splashed on the surface year in and year out. Once new concrete is poured, the surface will be resealed with a corrosion-resistant acrylic/epoxy finish, designed to weather future salt exposure.

The two motors that drive the circulation systems were also hoisted out and repaired. The larger motor for the full-size pool was lifted out through the roof and sent to Missoula for a rebuild while the smaller motor for the therapy pool was refurbished in house.

Workers also painted the locker rooms, hallways and showers, transforming the original gray hue into teals and blues.

Over the years, constant exposure to moisture has taken a toll on the building. “That's a big reason why lots of things break down,” Crick said. “In order to serve our community for the long term, all of these capital improvements had to be addressed.”

The project, which will cost an estimated $250,000, is primarily financed by donations and grants.

According to Crick, the 540 members of the center, who pay monthly dues, have been supportive of the project, despite the inconvenience of the August closure. She also credits the nine-member board of directors for “doing an amazing job to facilitate all of this.”

“It's been a lot of teamwork, and I'm really proud of like all the things that are happening around here and the cohesiveness of everybody to be forward-moving,” she said.

Keeping the aquatic center afloat

In addition to two pools and locker rooms, the center has a fitness room and a party room and offers a slew of in-water and dryland classes, ranging from water aerobics and Zumba to Tai Chi and strength training.

The Lake Monsters – described by Crick as “small but mighty” – is the resident youth swim team, and the Polson Pirates train at the facility during the winter, as does Bigfork High, while Columbia Falls High rents the facility for its annual swim meet. With repairs complete, Crick anticipates hosting more meets, since the Polson facility is one of only three regulation-size pools in western Montana. The other two are in Kalispell and Missoula.

Crick says MVAF has also worked with Logan Health, St. Luke Hospital and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes to provide access to the therapy pool for physical therapy sessions.

The Greater Polson Community Foundation finances the Safety Around Water (SAW) program, which offers free swim lessons for second and third graders in Polson, while Polson Rotary has supplied free swim passes for students who complete the program. Efforts are underway to make the program available to all second and third graders in the Mission Valley.

This blend of users and revenue streams helps keep the facility afloat. However, with an overall monthly expense of around $30,000, which includes a monthly electrical bill of around $8,000 and $3,500 for pool chemicals, it can be a challenge to make ends meet, let alone save for capital improvements.

Thanks to a “forward-thinking” board, committed to seeing MVAF flourish, and dedicated donors, the center is also seeking to establish a “working endowment fund” that will allow it to better address issues as they arise.

To that end, MVAF is hosting a poolside benefit, The Ripple Effect, Oct. 15, and hopes to raise more than $50,000 from that event. Other smaller fundraisers include an open-water swim, the annual Family Fun Days, pictures with Scuba Santa and the Pumpkin Patch Splash, as well as a summer camp.

“But at the end of the day, it's going to take some donors with vision and with belief in what we're doing in order for us to have the capital to be able to keep moving forward,” Crick said.

The nonprofit center, located in the Ridgewater Development, has been a grassroots undertaking since its inception. While finances continue to be a challenge, Crick is optimistic that the future is bright, especially with Mission Valley Ice Arena recently breaking ground next door and a soccer complex located just north of the pool.

“The joke amongst the directors of different nonprofits is that there's two things that don't make money, and one is a pool and one is an ice rink,” Crick said. “So we are going to change that tune. We're going to work collaboratively to make things really roll here.”

She predicts the triad of soccer fields, ice rink and pool – and the tournaments and swim meets each facility can attract – will bring an influx of tourism dollars to Polson.

“There's going to be a lot of action up here,” Crick said. “I'm really excited to see how we all can help our community.”

    Tanya Patrick puts finishing touches on her mural of a swimmer that now adorns the opening to the mens shower room at Mission Valley Aquatics and Fitness in Polson. The center has been closed in August for a major facelift. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
  

    Workers at Mission Valley Aquatics and Fitness are installing a new floor around the salt-water therapy pool and diving blocks this week that was corroded by years of exposure to salt. It's one of several projects underway at the center this month. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)