Privately owned indoor pool in Vinton closes to community partners

The Vinton Aquatic Club, Vinton-Shellsburg school district and city seek solutions with property owners to reopen pool to residents

Karma Bresson, a Vinton-Shellsburg High School senior, talks to coach Whitney Bowen during their swim practice at Coe College’s Coe Natatorium in northeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The team is practicing at Coe because the pool it has used -- at the former Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, is currently closed because of needed repairs. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette) — Karma Bresson, a Vinton-Shellsburg High School senior, talks to coach Whitney Bowen during their swim practice at Coe College’s Coe Natatorium in northeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. The team is practicing at Coe because the pool it has used — at the former Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, is currently closed because of needed repairs. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

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VINTON — Hobart Historic Restoration is determining how they might continue to provide community groups and the school district access to the only indoor pool in Vinton as they assess what repairs are needed — including eventually selling it to the city or Vinton-Shellsburg school district.

The pool is a part of the former Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School at 1002 G Ave, Vinton. The school, which includes 11 buildings and 48 acres, was closed in 2011 and was sold by the Board of Regents to the City of Vinton for $1 in 2021.

That same year, the city sold 34 acres of the property — including the building that houses the pool — to Hobart Historic Restoration, a real estate developer in Cedar Rapids.

The Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, photographed in 2011, was sold to the City of Vinton in 2021. That same year, the city sold most of the property to Hobart Historic Restoration, a real estate developer in Cedar Rapids. (The Gazette)

For decades, the Vinton Aquatic Club, — which offers competitive swim lessons to kids age 3-17 years — the Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, and the City of Vinton have used the pool at the former braille school.

But this year, after the city’s public pool closed, the Braille school wasn’t reopened to the community because of needed repairs.

B.J. Hobart, project and contracts manager with Hobart Historic Restoration, said the pool was “neglected for many, many years” before they took possession of the property.

“The community doesn’t understand how long it sat uncared for,” she said in an interview with The Gazette. “We want to make improvements. We’re trying to figure out how we can make that happen, and work with the community about upgrading the facilities.”

Hobart said cost for repairs could be around $10,000 and maintenance and operational costs are $7,000 to $8,000 a month.

Members of the Vinton-Shellsburg High School girls swim team leap off the swimming blocks for sprinting drills during their swim practice at Coe College’s Coe Natatorium in northeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. Coach Whitney Bowen said it has been great working with Coe College to utilize their pool facilities. “The club swimmers will be here when we are here, and their coach will give us a couple of lanes to use during their practice. Truly, I can’t say enough good things about how grateful I’ve been to them.” (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette) — Members of the Vinton-Shellsburg High School girls swim team leap off the swimming blocks for sprinting drills during their swim practice at Coe College’s Coe Natatorium in northeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. Coach Whitney Bowen said it has been great working with Coe College to use their pool facilities. “The club swimmers will be here when we are here, and their coach will give us a couple of lanes to use during their practice. Truly, I can’t say enough good things about how grateful I’ve been to them.” (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Last season, the Vinton Aquatic Club paid Hobart Historic Restoration $8,400 for their entire season from September to May.

“Repairs take time and money. I'm confident we can find a solution as we continue our collaboration with the school and the other groups. The most cost-effective solution would be for the city or the school to eventually buy the facility. It would be a fraction of the cost to build,” Hobart said in an email to The Gazette.

“As part of the community, we want to serve as we are able, and we’re currently working to find a solution which satisfies all those wanting access to the pool,” Hobart said. “Though I understand it’s disappointing to some, it’s not feasible to open the pool to the public when we are carrying all costs to operate and maintain the facility.”

‘This is what we do’

The Vinton Aquatic Club was started by Dave Happel in 1958. There are about 80 kids enrolled in its swim program this year. They’ve been swimming at the braille school since the 1970s, Happel said.

During the summer months, they use the city’s public swimming pool. They swim at the Braille and Sight Saving School from about September to May for $55 an hour, Happel said.

In July, Happel said he received an email saying the pool would not be available this fall.

The Vinton-Shellsburg High School swim team also uses the braille pool each year. The school district has entered into an agreement for the use of Coe College’s pool — 30 miles away — to maintain the program this fall.

“It’s cumbersome,” Superintendent Kyle Koeppen said.

There are a dozen girls on the swim team this fall. The Vinton-Shellsburg High team also includes students from Center Point Urbana and North Linn school districts.

Vinton-Shellsburg High School girls swimming coach Whitney Bowen tells the team what they will be doing for sprinting drills during their swim practice at Coe College’s Coe Natatorium in northeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. Bowen said the most challenging part about traveling to Coe Natatorium for practice isn’t the travel but the late nights. “It's getting home at 9 on practice nights that's hard, especially when we have meets. Like we went to Grinnell last Tuesday, we didn’t start the meet until 7, so we didn't get home until 11. It's a lot of late nights, and you can sustain it for a while, but after a while it just wears on the girls and it wears on me," Bowen said. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

The boys swim season is in the winter.

Koeppen said he feels like the Hobarts are “trying to be good partners.”

“We have a strong swim presence in this town. Jeopardizing that is a concern,” he said.

The City of Vinton uses the braille pool from September to May for aqua-aerobics, lap swimming and to train lifeguards in the spring. It’s about four to five hours a week at a rate of $45 an hour, said Vinton City Administrator Chris Ward.

Aric Qhvala, athletic director for the Vinton-Shellsburg district, said the three groups — the school district, Vinton Aquatic Club and city — have met with Hobart Historic Restoration Group to talk about a future continued partnership.

Qhvala said he’s served on the Vinton parks and recreation board in the past. “I’m familiar with pool operating costs, and they’re very expensive. I do understand the significant expenses that go into it,” he said.

Happel said the Hobarts have been “very helpful” to work with and he’s hopeful they can find a solution.

Amy Bunz, who has two children in the Vinton Aquatic Club, expressed frustration that the group has been “locked out” of the pool.

“This is what we do. This is our life. We are devoted to our kids,” Bunz said. “We travel all over the state for our kids to compete. My winter weekends are spent at swim meets.”

Maria Mussach, a student at North Linn High School and member of the Vinton-Shellsburg swim team, takes a break between sets during their swim practice at Coe College’s Coe Natatorium in northeast Cedar Rapids on Saturday. (Elizabeth Wood/The Gazette)

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com

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