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The Aquatic Center: Marietta City Council to hold meetings on pool

Marietta City Council to hold meetings on pool

(File photo) Nathaniel White, left, a resident of Marietta, stands with his 4-year-old daughter Natalie White, right, in the water at the Marietta Aquatic Center during the annual Policeman’s Pool Party thrown by the Marietta Police Department last August.

Marietta City Council will host two special meetings to discuss and open bids for the Marietta Aquatic Center.

The meetings will take place Monday and Wednesday with both starting at 5:30 p.m. in council chambers at the Armory.

At prior meetings, council members analyzed the aquatic center’s finances, including the costs of water, utilities, and other expenses, to determine if privatization could be a viable option. Council stated in previous meetings they were attempting to discover alternative revenue streams, such as renting out the concession stand or allowing food trucks on the premises. According to several members of council, after the closure of the concession stand within the aquatic park, several local food trucks parked outside the pool and it was met with support from the community.

In a recent Marietta Lands, Buildings and Parks meeting, officials discussed the center’s financial performance, which has seen significant losses in recent years. According to Councilmember Michael Scales, the city lost $41,000 last year after eliminating the on-site concession stand, down from $64,000 in losses the prior year.

The need to find a new group to manage the aquatic center comes from a recent council meeting where council said that it is believed the owner of Professional Pool Management, the company which had managed the center in past years, has retired and is no longer a viable option.

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