Construction of the private Towson Swim Club has been delayed yet another year.
But the club's all-volunteer board said this week it has no intention of deep-sixing the project.
"Hopefully, it will still come together," said Josh Glikin, speaking on behalf of the 14 residents of Southland Hills and West Towson who make up the board. "It's just that everything is taking longer than expected."
The board had initially hoped to have the pool up and running by Memorial Day weekend 2011, but then bumped it to 2012. The club is now moving the date once again.
"We now hope to have it open by May of 2013," Glikin said on Friday, Dec. 2.
"If we don't get it opened by then, we are going to terminate the project," he said.
The $1.4 million members-only facility has been proposed for the northwest corner of Bosley Avenue and Towsontown Boulevard, on land leased from the county. The initial lease fee from the county is nominal, but may increase to $6,000 per year when the swim club is fully operational, he said.
The facility will feature a regulation-size pool, a deck with tables and umbrellas, a children's pool, a cabana with changing rooms, a vending area and manager's office and picnic and recreation space.
The club will be closed to all but members, though membership is open to anyone willing and able to pay the nearly $2,000 charter fee.
By January 2011 about 200 or so families and individuals had signed up to purchase memberships, according to Glikin.
That was enough to move forward with the planning stages, but it will take about 300 memberships to operate successfully.
"Once the construction starts, we think the additional members will come," Glikin said, noting 400 or so memberships will be the maximum number.
But clearing regulatory hurdles and meeting the county's design standards have proven complex, he said, and there were unexpected legal fees related to leasing the property and a controversy over use of a ravine.
In addition, Glikin said, the change in county administrations slowed the process down. But he has kind words for the county.
"We appreciate how much they have worked with us," he said. "They, and we, recognize what an asset this would be for Towson and the local economy.
"If we didn't think this was the best thing for our communities and for Towson, we wouldn't be putting in the time or our money," he said.
The fact that pool organizers are all volunteers, most with daytime jobs, also slowed the process of launching the pool. The last big obstacle has been securing financing in a tight economic climate, he said.
"But we recently had some discussions with a couple of banks and that, combined with revised construction pricing, has given us renewed optimism," he said. "The economy has hurt us as far as financing is concerned but helped us, too. The cost of labor has gone down as the number of construction projects has decreased."
Board members remain emotionally and financially committed to building the swim club, he said. Some services have been donated, but so far, the project has cost the board members $60,000 for legal fees, engineering and design work.
"The board members paid that out of their own pockets, " he said.
The money that people paid to sign up for the club is in a separate escrow account, Glikin said.
"It's completely and entirely safe," he said. "We have every single dime."