Hatboro‑Horsham board hears concerns about Simmons Pool as new Keith Valley Middle School pool opens

The Hatboro‑Horsham School District’s leadership and student representatives discussed community interest in maintaining access to the Simmons Pool and outlined the district’s long‑term planning decisions after recent tours of the new Keith Valley Middle School. No formal board action on the pool was taken during the Sept. 29 meeting.

Student board representatives told directors that the Simmons Pool remains important for community swimmers and that the proximity of Simmons is helpful for morning practices and for students who play aquatic sports. They urged consideration of continued public access to swimming facilities.

Superintendent remarks and staff reports described the district’s facilities analysis and the reasoning behind not operating two pools simultaneously. The district said it evaluated three options: complete renovation of Simmons Pool; decommissioning Simmons and building a new pool at the high school; or building a pool on the Keith Valley campus. According to the superintendent, building a pool as part of the Keith Valley project was significantly less expensive than a complete renovation of Simmons Pool.

The superintendent noted Simmons Pool was built in 1972 and is no longer compliant for diving competitions; it requires costly repairs and regular upkeep. The new Keith Valley pool expands from a six‑lane configuration to an eight‑lane facility and offers greater deck and spectator space, the superintendent said. The district emphasized its priority to maintain existing programming for students districtwide rather than operate two separate pools, which it judged not cost‑effective.

District staff and the Safe Schools committee said future decisions about pool access and site use will be addressed through the facilities committee and through the ongoing facilities planning process, which will include additional board and community input. The superintendent thanked the Aquatics Association for partnership and said the district will seek to maximize use of the new pool.

Clarifying details from the meeting included two recent public tours of the new Keith Valley Middle School that drew roughly 400 guests on Aug. 29 and approximately 330 on Oct. 3, per the superintendent’s remarks. The superintendent said those tours illustrated strong community interest and underscored the importance of planning for districtwide programming needs.

No votes or formal motions about the Simmons Pool were recorded at the Sept. 29 meeting. Board members and staff said future discussions would be carried out through the facilities committee process and will include additional community representation.