Contact: Bill Bullough, Recreation, 240-777-6861;
For Immediate Release: August 7, 2001

Duncan Announces County and Takoma Park
Reach Agreement To Keep Piney Branch Indoor Pool Open

County Executive Douglas M. Duncan announced today that County and City officials from Takoma Park have reached and agreement to keep the Piney Branch Pool open through the current fiscal year.

Because of its location in the Piney Branch Elementary School, the pool has been operating under a joint agreement signed in 1970 between the County and Montgomery County Public Schools. During the school day, the pool has been staffed by the County’s Recreation Department to support the students’ physical education program. After school and on weekends, the Recreation Department has staffed and programmed the pool for public use.

The City of Takoma Park and the County Department of Recreation have been exploring transferring the operation of the pool to the City Recreation Department for more than a year. The County Recreation Department’s FY ’02 budget assumed that that the transfer would take place during the coming year. However, upon further evaluation, it was decided that that the County should continue to operate the pool for another year.

County Executive Douglas M. Duncan said, “In the City of Takoma Park, we have a willing partner that is well-suited to run the pool and we intend to work aggressively with them to address the issues that can pave the way for them to take over the facility. Meanwhile, we will continue to operate the pool for the benefit of the students and the community."

During this period, Recreation and City officials will work together to address ways to enhance the operations of the facility.

District 5 County Councilmember Derick Berlage said, “We can’t let this great recreational resource go down the drain! We’ll work together to ensure the pool’s continued operation.”

Councilman Steve Silverman, lead Councilmember for Parks and Recreation stated, “I am very pleased that the County and the City of Takoma Park have worked together to open the pool’s doors in September.”

Takoma Park Mayor Kathy Porter said, “The Piney Branch pool is an important recreational resource for the Takoma Park community, and we are very pleased that the County has responded to citizen requests to reopen the pool in September.

“The City looks forward to working with the County over the next year to establish responsibility for future funding and operation of the pool.”

Among the issues to be discussed in the coming months will be updating the 1970 memorandum of understanding, future sources of funding for facility enhancements, and marketing the pool to the community.