On Monday, May 7, the College will be closing the pool in the Sports and Recreation Center (Building 1R) completely to replace the dehumidification system. The replacement of the dehumidification system that lies directly above the pool is critical to maintain the facility, as it will help control the excessive moisture, thereby allowing the College to minimize corrosion, improve air quality, and more efficiently heat and cool the air temperature. The project is being managed by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and is scheduled to be completed in the fall semester of 2018. As part of the project, the pool will be drained and will therefore remain out of service for the duration of the construction. Although the College understands that all members of the community want uninterrupted access to the pool, the replacement of the dehumidification system is a necessary step to ensure continued use and efficiency of the facility.
In addition to the replacement of the pool dehumidification system, there are more than $82M in recently completed, ongoing, and in design projects. These projects include: renovation of Building 2M, the large building on the north end of campus next to the physical plant, for the eventual new home of the School of Business. Building 2M has been vacant since the days of the Willowbrook State School and is now open for classes as of last week; paving the road; hardscaping (gutters, holding tanks, entrances); new electrical substation; new soccer field turf and lights; new track and field; and new sidewalks.
Over the span of 20-plus years, while individual community memberships at the Sports and Recreation Center have significantly decreased, the College’s enrollment has more than doubled, increasing demand for the use of our pool by our students, who are afforded the benefit of our facilities as part of their tuition and educational experience. Due to these circumstances, it is no longer feasible to maintain an individual membership program. Requests for usage from community groups, youth organizations, clubs, and schools have increased substantially. When the pool reopens, the College will be positioned to provide additional access to the CSI community and community groups, clubs, and schools, in part by phasing out the few remaining individual memberships.
The College has been in discussions with elected officials, members of the College community, and the community at large, and remains committed to exploring options that would provide access to the affected community members.
