Takoma Park and community groups urge MCPS to restore Piney Branch pool if school is rebuilt

Takoma Park Mayor Talisha CSC and the Adventist Community Service Center described Piney Branch Elementary's pool as a critical community resource for water-safety programming, youth camps and therapeutic uses. Speakers urged that a school replacement include the pool or that the pool be restored if the facility project proceeds.

Ken Fleimer, representing the Adventist Community Service Center, said the Piney Branch pool supported nearly 600 swim-instruction hours for area day campers this past summer and nearly 3,000 hours of instruction to students through PTA-organized programs. He and others cited drowning-prevention data and argued the pool directly serves a diverse, rent-burdened neighborhood with many first- and second-generation immigrants, seniors and low-income families.

Takoma Park officials said the pool's replacement cost is substantial but necessary and asked the board and superintendent to consider the community value and post-construction operating and maintenance arrangements. MCPS staff said construction of a replacement pool is a district capital cost and that ongoing maintenance is typically outside MCPS operational responsibilities and often handled by community partners or separate management agreements.

Speakers urged transparency about the pool's projected $10 million capital cost and to identify who would pay for facility maintenance and programming post-construction; the board requested staff follow-up and clarification of maintenance responsibilities and cost estimates.