Pictured is a rendering of the proposed Buckeye Swim Club swim school and competitive training aquatics facility in Berlin Township, which is expected to be completed next fall.
Courtesy | Buckeye Swim Club
This photo shows the interior of the Powell Aquatics Center, which opened in 2023. Owner Buckeye Swim Club will have an additional new location in Berlin Township.
Courtesy | Buckeye Swim Club
Plans to construct a Buckeye Swim Club swim school and competitive training aquatics facility in Berlin Township are moving forward after the Berlin Township Board of Trustees voted last week to approve revisions to the original development plan.
The revisions will add to the footprint of the 10-lane pool. Additional deck space will provide room to accommodate the area high school teams to provide both training and spectator space to have their meets in the facility, a release announced.
The aquatics facility will house two pools within the building, including a 25-yard by 25-meter competitive pool and a dedicated swim school pool for the Buckeye Swim School. Overall, the 10-acre development will include the 22,600-square-foot aquatic center along with an additional 10,000-square-foot building and 17,00-square-foot building zoned for a variety of office, healthcare, childcare, recreational, and educational uses.
Buckeye Swim Club Managing Director Laurie Karr previously opened the Powell Aquatics Center, which houses the club, in April 2023. The Berlin Township aquatics center is expected to break ground later this year and open next fall.
“I was confident that the areas surrounding our site would grow when the swim club purchased the site, and now with the two newest Olentangy elementary schools located approximately a quarter of a mile east and west of our site on Peachblow Road, and several other key developments including Evans Farms and the Jenning Sports Park, this is far beyond expectation,” Karr said in the release.
Berlin Township Trustee Meghan Raehll said, “As one of the fastest-growing townships, Berlin Township faces the challenge of keeping up with the surging demand for high-quality youth sports opportunities. Laurie Karr’s dedication to the swimming community and her work within Berlin Township will significantly benefit swimmers by providing excellent facilities and coaching. As this project progresses, I hope we see more entrepreneurs like the Karrs who are committed to and actively engaged in the local community. This project exemplifies responsible growth and will be a benefit to the swimming community and township residents for years to come. ”
Olentangy Local School District Superintendent Todd Meyer added, “We are excited and thankful to have this resource available to our student-athletes as well as our entire Olentangy community. As Delaware County continues to grow, so does the need for new community facilities like this dedicated aquatic competition and training space. The new center will support and build our high school programs by providing pool availability to both competitive swim teams, as well as young swimmers interested in pursuing the sport.”
For more information on Buckeye Swimming, visit www.buckeyeswimclub.com and www.buckeyeswimschool.com.
Reach Dillon Davis at 740-413-0904. Follow him on X @DillonDavis56.
