PORTLAND, Ore. — Portland Community College (PCC) leaders announced last month that the swimming pools on the Sylvania campus would close for good at the end of the spring term.
In an email to students, they explained that the lap and diving pools were built in the 1970s and had significant structural issues — so much so that PCC would need to fully replace them. The price tag for renovations was estimated to be $25-30 million. They went on to write:
"Operational and maintenance costs, meanwhile, exceed $300,000 each year. Annual revenue generated by pool usage and classes comes in at approximately half that amount, and the operating deficit jumps when mechanical parts reach the end of their life cycles and need to be replaced, plumbing issues arise, or leaks emerge."
After taking a "long, hard look at these cost realities," PCC landed on the decision to decommission the pools as enrollment at the college drops. They acknowledged it would likely be emotional news for some, with so many memories associated with them.
Many are unhappy with this call, including Katie Backus, a PCC student, and Mike Guthrie, a P.E. and exercise science faculty member with the school.
"[The pools] have been serving the community for over 50 years," Backus said. "I heard that kind of through the grapevine and it broke my heart, because I realized it’s going to impact the community, it’s going to impact faculty, staff. And there’s just going be so many ripple effects because the community relies on our pools in a multitude of ways."
"If it's been important enough for 50 years to have a pool, it should be important enough to put forth the resources to maintain it and continue to offer the great services," Guthrie said.
Guthrie explained that he's taught more than 1,500 students as the main swim instructor for the school for 23 years. That instruction often extends beyond the college, as they've hosted lifeguard training and swim lessons over the years.
"I would ask PCC to bring us to the table, to reconsider, and to give us an opportunity to come up with some collaborative, equitable solutions," Guthrie said.
A Change.org petition to keep the pools open currently has more than 800 signatures.