BERWYN, May 3, 2016 – After an exciting fundraising campaign, the Upper Main Line YMCA is set to unveil its 50 Meter outdoor pool at an afternoon ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, May 12. The full opening will take place May 13, weather permitting.

This will be one of the few pools of its size available in Chester County – or the region – and people are excited to have it, said Denise L. Day, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. 

“The fact that the Y was able to bring this state-of-the-art pool to the community is a testament to our dedicated volunteers and members who raised and donated the funds to make this happen,” Day said. 

“Not only will our renowned swim teams get a boost from this new feature, but the same holds true for all our members – from our active older adult swimmers to those swimmers with diverse abilities,” she said. “This pool truly is a shining star for the county and a proud addition to the Y. Our members are just ecstatic.” 

A yearlong campaign raised the $1 million to replace a nearly quarter-century old above-ground pool with a solid, six-lane in-ground one. 

Gone is the vinyl liner pool with aging wooden decks. Today, a gleaming pool complete with a concrete deck, two accessibility lifts and starting blocks at both ends lies nestled on the tree-lined grounds of the Upper Main Line Y.  

It’s the crown jewel of the branch’s six-pool aquatics center, where swim lessons and water-based classes for tots through seniors as well as swim practices and meets occur with regularity. This addition will expand options for recreational swimmers and other programming at the Y as well as regional competitions. 

The ribbon-cutting will conclude with a ceremonial first swim by an assortment of UMLY members. Chillier than normal spring air won’t crimp the good times, since the pool is warmed. It will operate through October, allowing swimmers to extend their outdoor swimming season.

Strong project management and a mild winter helped power the project forward in record time. But it was the energy and devotion of the capital campaign team that was at the heart of this success, said Jay Bellwoar, a member of the Y’s board of directors and chief technology officer of Colonial Electric Supply. 

“The UMLY swim community is very strong, and we’re lucky to live in a community that values such an experience,” Bellwoar said. “The UMLY competitive swimming is strong nationally, and getting to practice in an outdoor 50 m pool is one of the reasons.  “It's a tremendous draw for top swimmers and a big reason so many local kids develop into world-class performers,” he added.