Garrett College to celebrate pool’s grand opening

Work crews completing last of the punch list items; festivities to commence Saturday

From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — The pool has been filled and the lifeguards have been hired at Garrett College’s new Community Aquatic & Recreation Complex.

Now it’s time for the public to take a dip.

A grand opening scheduled for Saturday will feature tours of the 32,500-square-foot complex, demonstrations in its fitness center and regulation-size pool — and a three-hour public swim from 2 to 5 p.m.

Funded by the state and county, the $23 million CARC is to be a wellness center for the entire community, college leaders have said. Membership fees are on a sliding scale based on income levels.

Last week, a group of area kindergartners was among the first to try out the pool when they participated in a new I Can Swim!  program. The free program will bring all Garrett County kindergartners to CARC for one week at a time for swimming and water safety classes.

Work crews are completing punch list items, but construction of the aquatic and fitness building is “substantially complete,” according to a report prepared for the Garrett College Board of Trustees.

An adjacent 42,500-square-foot gymnasium is about 40 percent complete and is expected to open in March, the report said.

Saturday’s grand opening kicks off with a 9 a.m. breakfast and pre-event tour for Garrett College alumni, followed by a ceremony and guest speakers at 10 a.m.

Tours begin at 11:30 and continue until 5 p.m. Demonstrations are scheduled throughout the day, including: 

• 11:30 a.m. to noon: Warm water pool features and healthy heart demonstrations

• Noon to 12:30 p.m.: Underwater robotic and scuba demonstrations

• 12:30 to 1 p.m.: Kayak roll demonstration and inflatable kayak kids race

• 1 to 1:30 p.m.: Manta Ray Swim Team, I Can Swim!, and dance demonstrations

• 1:30 to 5 p.m.: Fitness Center demonstrations

CARC’s operating hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

More here.

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