Changes & Traditions - Stanstead College

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College to convert pool to gym
Responding to ongoing structural and
cost issues and the need for more athletic
space, Stanstead College is in the process
of converting its swimming pool into a
gymnasium.
The Board of Directors recommended
the closure of the Ralph B. Hood
Swimming Pool and conversion to a gym
at its November 4 meeting.
“It’s always a difficult decision for any
institution to close one of its facilities,
especially one that’s used by the community,”
said Headmaster Michael Wolfe.
“Unfortunately, the pool was operating at
a considerable annual loss that we just
couldn’t continue to sustain, and there was
every indication that it was going to get
worse.”
Besides astronomical heating costs, a
good portion of the expense of operating
the pool had been general upkeep. The
outdated 35-year-old air-exchange system,
The swim team has won numerous ETIAC banners over the years.
The origins of the Stanstead College pool are a bit murky.
Legend has it that Headmaster Tom Russell was touring the campus
sometime in 1972 with Ralph B. Hood, a philanthropist who
had made his fortune by investing in Velcro. Hood asked, “What
do you need?” to which Headmaster Russell replied, “A swimming
pool would be nice.” That fall, Hood donated $400,000 for
the construction of the pool and squash courts.
Mr. Hood showed up at Winter Carnival the following
for example, was neither efficient nor
effective. Consequently, moisture in the
walls was causing the outer bricks to deteriorate
and crumble. Repairs had been
made to the walls over the past several
years and future repairs were anticipated
and expected to be ongoing. The pool also
suffered from leaks and an inefficient filtration
system.
In short, the pool had become an everincreasing
financial liability for the
College. By converting the space into a
gymnasium, the College will be able to
rescue the building from further deterioration
and provide much-needed space for
the school’s basketball teams and other
athletic programs.
“Right now we have six basketball teams
practicing in one gym,” said Headmaster
Wolfe. “There’s a lot of overlap, not a lot
of room, and not a lot of time. We’ve
even had to ask for floor time at
Sunnyside. By having
the extra gym, we can
help our basketball
teams grow and develop
the way they deserve
to, and we’ll be better
equipped to host league
games and tournaments.”
As part of a separate
plan to build a new
hockey arena for the
school, Stanstead
College had originally
considered including a
new double-gymnasi-
The pool conversion will provide muchneeded
space for the basketball program.
um in the proposed complex. The opportunity
to convert the pool to gym space is
a cost-effective and sustainable way to
meet the school’s needs by using existing
infrastructure, said Headmaster Wolfe.
As for the swim team, an agreement has
been reached with Indoor Recreation of
Orleans County (IROC) in Derby, Vt. to
use that facility’s pool for daily practices in
subsequent academic years. Moreover, students,
faculty and staff of Stanstead
College and their families will enjoy a twoyear
membership to IROC with an option
to renew in future years, effectively
expanding the resources available to the
College community.
Where did Ralph B. Hood come from?
12
February to turn the first sod that launched construction. The
pool itself opened in October 1973.
But there was actually talk of constructing a swimming pool as
early as the spring of 1971 when Raymond Lester was still headmaster,
at least according to the board minutes. And Mr. Hood
was on the scene at least in the fall of 1970, when he was
described in a report by Headmaster Lester as a “friend of the
school.”