PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center’s aquatic therapy pool will remain open for the foreseeable future thanks to an anonymous donation and a $25,000 match from the hospital foundation.
Bruce Skinner, Olympic Medical Center Foundation executive director, announced Wednesday that the nonprofit will provide the $50,000 needed to replace the pool liner.
The heated hydrotherapy pool at the Olympic Medical Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation clinic at 321 N. Chambers St. in Port Angeles was in danger of closing last summer because the hospital district couldn’t afford the new liner.
Anonymous donor
“After hearing of the imminent closure of the pool in July, we had an anonymous donor donate $25,000, if that gift was matched,” Skinner told the seven OMC commissioners.
“We held a fundraising event in August and raised $14,000, and then the rest of the $25,000 that needed to be raised was made largely by pool users — some $10 gifts, $20 gifts and some larger gifts.
“But we have reached the $50,000,” Skinner added.
“We’re very happy to announce that.”
Scores of physical therapy patients protested the planned Sept. 1 closure of the 94-degree hydrotherapy pool, which has an adjustable floor, underwater treadmill and safety bars.
William Shore Memorial Pool in Port Angeles, which is kept at about 84 degrees, is too cool for some physical therapy patients and lacks some of the features of the OMC pool, patients have said.
The next closest physical therapy pool is in Silverdale.
“We know the community gave us a lot of input,” Dr. Scott Kennedy, OMC chief medical officer.
To match the anonymous donation, the OMC Foundation hosted the “Hog Wild — A Night of Games, Suds and Grub” pig roast at Barhop Brewing in Port Angeles on Aug. 23.
With the rest of the match secured, the anonymous donor presented a check to OMC on Nov. 10, Kennedy said.
“We really appreciate the support,” Kennedy said.
“The foundation did a great job in raising those matching funds.”
Restructuring
OMC has restructured the physical therapy department to make the pool more financially viable, Kennedy said.
Officials will “give it our very best” to keep the pool open permanently, he said.
“Having the new pool [liner] replacement gives this project new life,” Kennedy added.
The OMC Foundation has given more than $377,000 to the hospital district so far this year.
“We’ll provide additional funding later in the year,” Skinner said.
“I think it’s going to be a record year for us.”
Since 2006, the foundation has raised $2.6 million for OMC.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
