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Clarksburg YMCA to close after 60 years; coaches and residents urge city to keep pool available
Summary
At a City Council meeting, YMCA representatives announced the organization's decision to close after six decades. Coaches and parents urged the council to preserve the pool and facilities, warning that closure would disrupt swim teams and youth programming across several schools.
Speaker 1, speaking on behalf of the YMCA, told the Clarksburg City Council that the YMCA board "has made the painful decision to close our doors" after 60 years of serving the community and asked the city to consider keeping the building available to the public in some form.
Camden Cutlip, coach of the South Harrison swim team, told the council that the YMCA pool is his team’s only reliable practice site and warned that alternate facilities would force students into commutes of roughly 40 minutes each way, making it difficult for them to balance schoolwork and athletics. "Without it, we risk losing not just a pool, but a space that builds character and confidence every day," Cutlip said.
John Kroll, a swim coach at Robert C. Byrd High School, likewise urged council action to preserve access for high school teams. "If the pools isn't available, that'll force 6 or 7 high schools to share a pool, and that simply cannot work," Kroll said, describing how loss of the facility would harm competitive programs built over years.
City officials acknowledged the announcement and said staff are "working diligently on finding someone to take over that facility." Councilmembers and speakers emphasized the YMCA’s role in summer camps, after-school programs, senior services and school swim practices. Several council members said they would explore short-term ways to keep the building usable while long-term options are considered.
Council discussion also touched on the building’s deed and whether ownership could revert to the city or to the Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA); one councilmember asked staff to clarify deed status and return with answers. City staff said they were not comfortable giving a precise timeline for next steps in public session.
The meeting record shows the council pledged to explore options, including potential city ownership, temporary access arrangements for school teams and outreach to neighboring jurisdictions and nonprofit partners. No formal vote or commitment to purchase the building was recorded during the meeting.
