Revenue Results Mixed for Community Pool's First Season

To better capitalize the facility, the Recreation Department will be revisiting the fee schedule and hours of operation for the Piedmont Community Pool ahead of the start of the next swimming season May 1, 2012.

While Recreation Director Mark Delventhal expressed satisfaction with how the pool had been running since the city took over management July 1, in his report to City Council Oct. 17 he worried about whether all the numbers would add up.

"Staff is concerned about successfully reaching the total revenue budget of $429,250," Delventhal wrote.

The city budget assumes the pool will bring in $375,000 in 2011-2012, but Delventhal has been using the more ambitious $429,250 figure in an effort to reduce the budgeted .

By Sept. 15, three months into city operations of the facility, the pool had made it about two-thirds of the way to that goal, having generated $284,453. As predicted, annual and seasonal passes have been the biggest piece of that.

Annual pass sales were just about on target—168 had been sold to families and individuals by mid September compared to the projected 170. Resident all-hours family passes proved particularly attractive, with 119 sold compared to the 80 that had been projected, creating a boon of more than $30,000.  

Meanwhile seasonal pass sales lagged well behind. Only 182 sold, instead of the hoped for 275. Resident family recreational swim passes did especially poorly, with only 59 selling against a target of 150, meaning a shortfall of more than $40,000 for that revenue item.

Though the Recreation Department is still analyzing what all the numbers mean, Piedmont families may have simply concluded that paying at the gate was more economical than investing in a seasonal pass for rec swimming.

After being discounted for the shortened season, which lasted only 20 weeks with the city not taking over operations until July 1, the resident family recreational swim passes cost $405. In order to realize any savings from purchasing one, a family of four from Piedmont would have had to visit the pool at least 10 times on Fridays and Saturdays or 14 times during the week over the summer.

Perhaps as a result, the take from general admissions far exceeded the $10,000 projection. By Sept. 15, more than $13,000 had been collected at the gate by Sept. 15, with the revenue stream nearly tripling since July 26. 

"I was a little surprised, because the gate fees were brought to you a little high because we wanted to sell passes," Delventhal told the council, referring to the decision to hike the general admission fees over what had originally been proposed and reserve Sunday access for pass-holders only. "We have to sit down and really think about that as we move forward."

In addition to reviewing the pricing, Delventhal said the Recreation Department is considering allowing non-residents in during early morning lap swimming hours, and squeezing in another dedicated lap swimming period on weekday evenings between swim team and water polo practices to make passes more enticing next season.

Revised hours and fees will likely be the subject of public hearings in January or February so they can be in place for the pass sales drive in the spring.

"Hopefully we'll be able to recommend to you that the service remain the same or better," Delventhal said to the council, "but we will have to look at it in the context of financial management."