Sun staff
When the Batavia Swim Club almost went into foreclosure in July 2014, 14 county residents banded together to rescue the beloved pool to repair and reopen it.
The residents have succeeded and the pool will reopen Memorial Day weekend.
“It holds a special place in a lot of people’s hearts,” said Josh Meeks, one of the purchasers.
The former Ridge Club means a great deal to Meeks, as his grandparents, Myles and Elaine Elstun, were founding members of the pool when it opened in the 1956. Meeks grew up spending his summers there, just as his mother and her siblings did.
Meeks is not the only community member to save the pool who has a strong connection to it. Linda Wiedner, daughter of another founder, Madeline Blocher, also helped rescue the Batavia Swim Club.
The club has a peaceful setting. It has six and a half acres of park-like land and is secluded, Meeks said.
The club is undergoing repairs now. It was not always run well and was usually struggling, but now there are people willing to help make the pool what it should have been, Caudill said.
“We need to raise the funds to do a lot more as far as long term repairs,” Meeks said.
The pool needed repairs to the pavilion areas, old paint needed removed and a leak needed fixed, Meeks said.
The leak has been fixed, which will save more than $2,500 every year, Caudill said.
Once funds are raised, Meeks also plans to completely redo the baby pool and make it a zero entry pool. He also hopes to add volleyball courts.
In addition, Caudill hopes the Batavia Swim Club will be able to install solar panels on the bathhouse and the concession stand building and go off the grid, which will save the club money for an electric bill.
“We’re looking to redo a lot,” Caudill said. She also hopes to redo the picnic area and the play area.
The club needs about $70,000 in repairs, $50,000 of which is for the baby pool, Meek said. They are working on raising money for that.
The group that bought the club is not funding repairs, they just wanted to save it from being turned into a development, Meeks said. The club is going to have many unique features.
One such feature is the activities Meeks and Caudill are planning. They are hoping to do activities like midnight swims, adult bonfires, a lady’s day, a kid’s day and more, Caudill said.
Meeks hopes to get community interest back. The club will also book private parties and offer swim lessons, he said.
The swim club will hold a grand opening June 12-14 and will be free to the public on June 13 and 14, Meeks said. June 13 will include cookouts and other activities.
The club’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The Batavia Swim Club is accepting memberships and donations currently. The club is a nonprofit, called Safety Empowering Accountability Loyalty and Serving, so donations are tax deductible.
To become a member, email [email protected] or send a message to Batavia Swim Club on Facebook and request a membership packet.
To donate, mail a check made out to SEALS Inc. to P.O. Box 731, Batavia, OH 45103.