This page is contains the proposal made by the Royal Run Board of Directors to the community to alter the square footage of the Royal Run pool. Follow the links below to find specific information, or read straight down the whole page to see everything. Voting links are available throughout the sections.
- Ready to Vote? Click here
- Reasons to modify the pool
- Safety concerns
- What will it look like?
- How will we pay for this project?
- What is the project timeline?
- What are surrounding communities doing?
LETTER SENT BY MAIL TO ALL HOMEOWNERS:
Last year, the Royal Run Board of Directors began an exploration of options to help address concerns and frustrations about the community pool – in terms of not only rising costs, but also in patron experience as well. These concerns have been growing steadily for the past decade or so, with operational costs having increased over 100% since 2017, (~$28k to ~$60k) and with constant complaints being received from residents around cleanliness of water and facility, problems with equipment and shut downs by the health department, staffing difficulties, and general execution dissatisfaction – the board voted in the last monthly meeting (July 2024) to bring a proposal to the community to make a change.
This specific change approach was previewed at the 2023 annual meeting, and it is this idea that is now being put before the community to talk about and to vote upon. It might come as a surprise to those who have not yet heard it – but the concept being presented is to reduce the square footage of the pool by about 13%. The reason that this action has tangible impact to the above stated problems is that it allows the pool to operate as other nearby Zionsville community pools do; operating free of the state imposed requirement of mandatory lifeguard presence for any pool being of a size of 2000 square feet or larger. PLEASE understand that the lifeguards as individuals are not what is being targeted here, but rather it is the extremely limited selection of vendors that are available to manage and staff the pool. The removal of the requirement of guards changes the pool narrative in the following ways:
- Eliminate the ever-increasing staffing costs (by far the highest % of the pool expense – it is over 2/3 of the total pool annual cost).
- Allow the association to focus $ on pool maintenance, upkeep, and cleaning.
- Provide the association with more vendor options for pool maintenance services (many vendors exist for maintenance only, versus maintenance + guards which we are compelled to today).
- Allow for a longer swimming season
- Allow for extended pool hours in the morning and evenings
The expected expense of the modification project is expected to be recouped after 3 years because of the significant reduction of operating expenses. The board recognizes that there might be many more questions – not just around cost, but also timeline, safety, pool appearance, etc. – and so rather than sending a many page letter in the mail the site you are reading this electronic version of the letter on was created.
Additionally – a community meeting will be held at 7pm on Wed, Aug 21st at the clubhouse for all residents to ask questions and share concerns. Questions and comments can also be emailed to [email protected] if you cannot make the meeting.
Because this is a modification to a core community asset/amenity, the board thinks that it is important for the majority of the community to cast a vote in support of this project, versus making the decision independent of resident support.
We appreciate your participation and consideration in this project – the board has spent a lot of time on this and believes that this direction is ideal for the community in addressing perennial frustrations by introducing more options for the pool operations, and simultaneously reducing costs. Please reach out with questions, and please take the time to vote!
Regards,
Royal Run Subdivision Board of Directors
Ready to Vote? Click here
Why is the community considering reducing the pool size?
By reducing the pool’s square footage by about 13% to get under 2000 square feet, we would fall below the state’s threshold that requires a lifeguard.
A qualified lifeguard is required for all public pools. A qualified lifeguard is required for all semi-public pools with a surface area of two thousand (2,000) square feet or more. Lifeguards must be on duty at poolside at all times when the pools are open for use. 410 IAC 62.135 Lifeguards Sec. 35. (a)
The community is considering reducing the pool size to eliminate the state lifeguard presence requirement, to address key factors associated with the companies staffing our pool :
- Increased Staffing Costs: The cost of staffing has significantly increased over the past few years and is expected to continue rising due to a national shortage of qualified lifeguards. 2022 ~ $42,000 2023 ~ $51,000
- Limited Staffing Options: There are few companies available to bid for our community’s staffing needs, and we have experienced poor quality with the majority of those available. Royal Run has gone through 3 different pool management companies in the last 5 years, and has not experienced satisfactory execution from any of them in the eyes of the board, and voiced by frustrations from residents.
- Maintenance Issues: The companies currently handling our pool have not adequately cared for the pool equipment. Heater Issues, Pump/Flow, Cleanliness, Chemical Balances. Delayed Openings ‘22 ‘23
As mentioned in the letter, the removal of lifeguards (which again – they are not the issue as individuals themselves) – their removal allows the following to take place:
- Eliminate the ever-increasing staffing costs.
- Allow the association to focus on pool maintenance, upkeep, and cleaning.
- Provide the association with more vendor options for pool maintenance services.
- Allow for a longer swimming season.
- Allow for extended pool hours in the morning and evenings.
Ready to Vote? Click here
How will the community ensure the safety of the pool without lifeguards?
The community will implement several measures to ensure the safety of the pool area without lifeguards:
- Cameras: The pool area is already equipped with surveillance cameras, and additional cameras can be installed to enhance monitoring.
- Emergency Phone: An emergency phone is available on the exterior wall of the clubhouse for immediate access in case of emergencies.
- Controlled Access: Pool entry is controlled by access cards, ensuring only authorized residents can enter the pool area.
- State Policy Compliance: The community will adhere to the state’s minimum policy, which states: “No Swimming Alone. Children Under 14 Years of Age and Non-Swimmers Shall Not Use the Pool Unless Accompanied by a Responsible Adult.”
- Enhanced Age Policies: Several HOAs have implemented stricter age policies, and our community will consider adopting similar measures to ensure safety.
- Safety & Compliance Checks: Periodic checks of access cards and ages by the association or contracted provider.
Ready to Vote? Click here
What would the potential reduction look like?
Our pool is currently ~ 2,275 square feet. By reducing 4-5 feet from the long wall, we can decrease the pool area to meet the square footage requirement. This adjustment will help us comply with state regulations and reduce the need for lifeguards, while still providing a functional and enjoyable pool for our community. See the image below to see what it would look like:
The reduction on the long wall keeps the same pool shape that we’ve always had. We would still have 3 FULL SIZE lane laps; the advantage to moving in from the long side is maintaining the full lap distance we currently have. PLEASE NOTE – this drawing says 5 ft and 375 sq foot reduction, which is the max it would be; the project would be targeted towards 4 ft to hit the minimum viable modification to achieve the sub 2000 sq foot number.
Ready to Vote? Click here
How would the association pay for the project?
The association maintains reserves specifically for large-scale projects and renovations. Therefore, there would be no out-of-pocket expenses for the residents. There are sufficient reserves to cover the project with the bid range we have been looking at which is going to be roughly in the $100k – $150k range. The schedule for reserves on the pool would be updated with this project occurring. Additionally, the return on investment from the savings on lifeguard staffing is projected to be just over three years. This prudent financial planning ensures that the project is both feasible and beneficial for the community in the long run.
Ready to Vote? Click here
What is the timeline for the project?
- August 2024: Communicate the intent to renovate the pool to the community, including mailing letter, electronically, community meeting
- September 2024: Complete the voting for the project
- October 2024: Upon community approval, select a bid for the project.
- Prior to the 2025 pool season: Complete the renovation project.
Ready to Vote? Click here
What are other neighborhoods around us doing?
This is one of the most important considerations the board took into account – see the list below of how our neighboring communities are currently functioning:
Walker Farms – No LG, must be 14+ or accompanied by adult.
The Willows – No LG, must be 16+ or accompanied by 21+ adult.
Clarks Meadow – No LG, must be 14+ or accompanied by a responsible adult.
Cobblestone – No LG, must be 14+ or accompanied by adult.
Saddle Creek – No LG, must be 14+ or accompanied by a responsible adult.
5:00am 10:00pm
Cheswick Place – No LG, must be 14+ or accompanied by a responsible adult.
6:30am 9:30pm
Brittany Chase – No LG
The fact that these communities all have been operating just fine without lifeguards (many of them were built / their pools were built AFTER the state law went into effect; Royal Run’s pool was built before). Note the couple of communities above that we found operating hours on also – these are far extended hours compared to our traditional 10am – 8pm that we pay lifeguards by the hour for. There are great side benefits to our community in being able to have a longer season / longer hours in each day since we wouldn’t be paying to staff each of those extra hours.
Ready to Vote? Click here