Peachtree City wrestles with Kedron pool repair: council leans to a $7.8M fix while residents press for a 50m solution

Peachtree City staff and consultants told council on May 26 that Kedron Aquatic Center's air-supported "bubble" has reached the end of its usable life and presents multiple structural, mechanical and water-quality issues that require major repairs or replacement.

Harold Layton, who led the presentation, summarized the timeline of studies and community engagement dating to 2021 and said professional assessments identified both immediate rehabilitation needs and longer-term facility options. "We know the bubble's at the end of its life cycle. Putting it back up is not safe for us," Layton said.

Staff presented four concepts: (1) replace the bubble with a similar temporary enclosure; (2) an aluminum building option (rejected for warranty and missing components); (3) a sprung permanent structure over existing pools (options C1 and C2, with C2 the preferred concept), and (4) build a new larger facility on a different site (estimates of $15M'$20M in 2024 dollars for a new natatorium). City consultants and cost estimators (Palacio Collaborative) produced preliminary budgets: concept C2 (comprehensive pool and civil work plus the sprung structure) was estimated at $7.8 million if built in the quarter proposed; earlier, pool-only infrastructure work without the structure was noted at $5.2 million.

Design and schedule: WM2A architect Brandon Fairbanks said the design phase would be about 14'16 weeks and construction for C2 is estimated at roughly 10'12 months, with the structure itself able to be erected quickly but the pool and mechanical work taking most of the time. Staff warned costs would rise if construction starts are delayed (Palacio estimated a 1.6% quarterly cost escalation). The city also has a direct quote to heat a neighborhood pool (Glen Loch) for roughly $50,000 as a potential interim measure.

Public comment: More than two hours of public comment followed; 29 speakers — swimmers, coaches, parents and seniors — urged the council to limit closure time, to prioritize year-round instructional space, and to explore partnerships with Fayette County, nearby cities and school systems to fund or host a larger regional facility. Jessica Summers, a former Division I swimmer and parent, said communities with comparable populations often have multiple indoor pools and at least one 50-meter facility; "instead of basically putting lipstick on a pig with Kedron, we should look at actually doing something that is going to be adequate for our community and our needs," she said. Dozens of younger competitive swimmers and parents described lost training hours and the real risk of athletes leaving the sport if access is reduced for a year or more.

Council reaction and next steps: Council discussion split along pragmatic and aspirational lines: several councilors favored moving forward with the C2 concept now to prevent a catastrophic failure of the existing facility, while others pushed for a broader community center or a 50-meter natatorium funded through a bond or intergovernmental partnership. Mayor and at least three council members said C2 is a "sure thing" the city can fund now while staff continues work on cost estimates and partnership talks for a larger facility.

No formal vote on the Kedron concepts was taken; council instructed staff to refine the costs of a 50-meter alternative, to explore interim mitigation (heating Glen Loch, scheduling changes and agreements with neighboring counties), and to prepare design documents and funding options should council decide to proceed with C2 at a future meeting.

Why it matters: Kedron serves the city's year-round swim programs, five high school teams and instructional lessons used by hundreds of residents; prolonged closure would affect youth athletics, learn-to-swim capacity and community fitness programs.

What to watch: staff estimates for a 50-meter retrofit or new facility; a formal council vote on C2 (timing to be set), and any interim agreements to heat or expand lane capacity at other area pools.