AGENDA #5a
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Follow-up on Petition: Request for Wellness Center Swimming Slots
DATE: March 24, 2003
This report provides a response to a petition from a Council member from February 10, 2003, concerning the potential Town use of space at the therapeutic swimming pool in the new UNC Hospitals Wellness Center at Meadowmont.
The Council approved a Special Use Permit application for the UNC Hospitals Wellness Center at Meadowmont on February 14, 2000. During discussion on the item, the Council asked the staff to explore the idea of the Town purchasing access to the Wellness Center pool for Town residents who would buy tickets at a subsidized rate. Ms. Mary Beck, representing the applicant, stated that although the therapeutic pool use may be high, UNC Hospitals would be willing to explore such options. She added that they would need to meet rehabilitative needs first, but could then explore the option of broadening access to the community.
On October 4, 2000, Ms. Beck wrote the Town, reiterating the UNC Wellness Center’s willingness to explore options for use of the Wellness Center aquatics facility for general Town use. Ms. Beck suggested that we wait until after about 90 days of experience with the therapeutic pool, to pursue the idea of the Town purchasing access to the Wellness Center for Town residents.
DISCUSSION
The therapeutic pool at the UNC Hospitals Wellness Center at Meadowmont began seeing patients on December 9, 2002. Officially classified as a therapeutic pool by the Orange County Health Department, the pool operates under very specific guidelines, including the mandatory supervision by a physical therapist of all pool usage. There are currently two physical therapists working at the UNC Wellness Center. As we understand it from speaking with Dan Lehman, Administrative Director, Cardiovascular and Wellness Services, patient demand for the therapeutic facilities has been overwhelming and has already far outpaced the projected pool use. The UNC Hospitals' Physical Therapy Department is currently recruiting a third physical therapist.
The UNC Wellness Center staff continues to track patient need and projected usage of the therapeutic pool. We believe there may be potential for community use of the UNC facility during weekend or evening hours and suggest that staff from the Town and the UNC Wellness Center continue discussions regarding the possible community use of the facility. However, we do not believe this dialogue will be productive until patient usage has stabilized and the UNC Hospitals staff has a clearer idea of the on-going patient demand and usage of the pool.
CONCLUSION
Patient demand and use of the therapeutic pool at the UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont has far exceeded the projected need. As the patient use stabilizes, we believe the UNC Hospitals staff will have a clearer picture as to potential availability of the facility for community use. We will continue to work with the Wellness Center staff to determine the potential availability of therapeutic pool time for community use.
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