John Coffelt, Editor

Years ago in August of 2016 the Manchester Recreation Commission voted to send a request to the Manchester Budget Committee for $500,000 to fix a long-broken dehumidifier that prevents corrosion in the hostile environment of the Complex’s pool pump room.

The dehumidifier that didn’t work in 2016 still doesn’t.

Boards change, administrations change and repairs have been done to the complex, but in the 20 years that the city has operated the Rec. Complex, time has begun to take its toll.

Last week a special call meeting of the Manchester Recreation Commission meeting was held to detail over $2 million in repairs that are needed to the aging Complex. In attendance were the mayor and three aldermen (one of whom sits on the commission).    

Using an engineering report from the firm that designed the building, Director of Parks and Recreation AJ Fox told the city officials that the primary concerns for the center were in the aquatics area, the center’s roof and an extended maintenance plan to address the HVAC units.

Other repairs include work on the buckling hardwood floor of the gymnasium and the parquet floor of the aerobics room. A longer term “wish list” project for the complex would be to move the weight room to the first floor athletic room and buildout that area to provide 24-hour access workout facility.    

Pool repairs include faulty floor drains in the pool room that in the case of a severe leak could cause flooding of electrical systems. The pump room has also seen significant corrosion. In the public areas of the aquatics center the therapy pool leaks water and in the outdoor pool area, one kiddy slide is damaged and out of commission while the two large slides need a $54,000 refinishing job.

Even before the roof of the center was damaged in a storm last year, at least one significant leak was noted in the far corner of the gym above the walking track. Insurance claims will fund $500,000 of a roughly $1 million new roof. 

Rec. Commission Chairman Brent Parsley told the group, “Twenty years ago this building was new. We didn’t really ever anticipate (these repairs). Through the years on the Rec. Commission, we’ve talked about we don’t have a pool set aside of money to replace different things. We thought we needed you all to help is prioritize what needs to happen.”

Alderman and Rec Commission member Julie Anderson said that under the current leadership of the department, “that is something that you guys are making a priority, the planning and preventative maintenance.”

Fox noted that the department also has to maintain the park areas and the Ada Wright Building.  

Alderman Donny Parsley questioned the direction the department has gone with its facilities.

“We worry about putting in a soccer field, we worry about putting in a new ball field over here when we should be concentrating on these repairs that have not been brought to this board,” Parsley said.

“When you have water leaking from valves, to me that needs to be repaired,” he said.

The struggle, however, is many of the projects that Parks and Recreation have undertook were funded through grants. Those grants fund new things, and maintenance/repair grants are few and far-between.

Vice Mayor Mark Messick suggested the department put together a five-year plan of repairs focusing on the most critical items and submit that to the city Budget Committee.

“It didn’t all tear up on the same day in 20 years, and you can’t fix it all on the same day. You need to put together a reasonable list with reasonable expectations,” he said.

Mayor Marilyn Howard suggested that the items that are liabilities to the city be at the top of that list.

“If we know that somebody could get hurt that should be top priority,” she said.                 

The commission approved a motion directing Fox to take to the Budget Committee a prioritized five-year plan of repairs.

According to Assistant Director of Parks and Rec Becki Johnson, the complex sees and average of 250 guests on a slow off-season day.  A busy summer day could have over 700 people. 

“For January 2023 our system says that we had 516 memberships,” she said.

Annual membership to the center ranges from $305 for an individual Manchester residents to $500 for a family membership for county residents. 

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.