By Tim Reaves
BCS Communications Department
The beautiful Buncombe County Schools Aquatic Center hosted its first swim meet of the season on Thursday after students took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the center’s grand opening.
The $6.25-million, 17,380-square-foot building features a 10-lane, 400,000-gallon, climate-controlled pool. The center also includes 420 spectator seats, a state-of-the-art timing and scoreboard system, UV water filtration, and numerous energy efficient design features.
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners provided funding for the new aquatic center, which replaces an aging facility that hosted high school practices and meets over the last 50 years.
“What a wonderful facility, especially for competitive swimming in the area,” said BCS Superintendent Dr. Tony Baldwin. “It’s going to host so many things that will benefit our entire Buncombe County community. We are very excited about the future.”
Dr. Baldwin said he is especially excited about adopting the YMCA's Safety Around Water program and teaching drown-proofing techniques to all children in Buncombe County and Asheville City Schools.
“This is a very proud moment for us to provide this to our students and our community,” said Ann Franklin, chair of the Buncombe County Board of Education.
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Thanks to Teague Dentistry, Buncombe County Commissioners, YMCA of Western North Carolina, our construction crews and architects, and the coaches who have advocated for years to make this project a reality.
Coverage from WLOS
Facebook Live video of the dedication ceremony