Local swimmers received some welcome news in late February when the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners agreed to fund the reopening of the indoor pool at Warren Wilson College. The pool, which was used by schools, swim teams, and residents, had been closed since 2014. According to a February article in the Asheville Citizen-Times, the county will put up $300,000 of the $800,000 needed for repairs to the building and pool, with the requirement that the pool will be made available to the public. The rest of the money is expected to come from private donors and USDA financing.

The AC-T article indicates that the pool could be open by late summer. The lack of pool space for swim teams in Buncombe County has been a news topic for some months, with the County Commission struggling to find a solution. The AC-T quotes Commissioner Al Whitesides as saying that the partnership with Warren Wilson College is a “no brainer,” with the county getting “more than our bang for our buck.”

The re-opening of the Warren Wilson pool is particularly good news for swim team members at Owen High School. The team has been traveling to the YMCA in Marion for their early morning practices.