 Hot off the
Presses!
The New Plunge Magnet!
DONORS
RECEIVE SOUVENIR PLUNGE MAGNET WITH $10.00 OR
MORE DONATION TO MEET THE $500,000 MATCHING GRANT
Order the MAGNET now! >>
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 New!
The Plunge T-Shirt!
"Uncle"
Al Frosini poses wearing the new Plunge
T-Shirt
DONORS
RECEIVE SOUVENIR PLUNGE T-SHIRT WITH $15.00
OR MORE DONATION TO MEET THE $500,000 MATCHING GRANT
Order
the T-SHIRT now! >> |
 Photos
of the August 4, 2008 Plunge Renovation Celebration!
Punch, Cookies, Jackhammering and few words from Ellie Strauss |
| Historic
pool in Richmond finally gets makeover - May 10, 08 Article in
the Contra County Times >> |
August
4 ,
2008: Plunge Renovation, Phase 1 begins !
 On
May 6th, 2008 the Richmond City Council awarded the
contract to
renovate the Richmond Plunge to West Bay Builders. West
Bay Builders is a Novato firm and came in with the lowest responsible
bid. Phase I includes the restoration of the original natatorium
structure, which houses the swimming pool and the renovation of
the 10,000 square foot swimming pool itself. The historic monitor
will be replaced during this phase. This phase of work is fully
funded.
The proposed timeline for this work is:This
contract has a duration of 400 days to completion (about 1.1
yrs)
Phase 2 of
the renovation includes rebuilding the changing, bath and shower
facilities and restoring the front, neoclassical part of the
building. A grant from the Wayne and Gladys Valley
Foundation has been awarded for this phase. This is a matching
grant and the money is to be used for Phase 2 only and the money
is to come from private sources only. The grant award is
in the amount of $500,000. We are continuing to look for
money to match this grant and close the shortfall.
Donations
can be sent to: Save
The Richmond Plunge Trust.
P.O.
Box 70443
Richmond,
CA 94807-0443
Save
the Richmond Plunge Trust is the fund raising entity of Richmond
Friends of Recreation.
All donations
are tax deductible. |
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The
Plunge—Volunteers Save Point Richmond Landmark
See the March 28, 2006 article in the Berkeley Planet !
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The Plunge is currently
Closed
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Please
send any mail and contributions to:
Save The Richmond Plunge Trust
P.O. Box 70443
Pt. Richmond, CA 94807-70443
We welcome and encourage you to send in reminiscences...
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All programs
of the Richmond Plunge have been moved to the Richmond Swim Center.
Please call (510) 620-6654 for times of facility operations and program
details.
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Questions and
Answers about the Richmond Plunge
Did the City of Richmond really have to close the pool in August
of 2001?
Yes, absolutely. Currently all
systems of the building – structural, mechanical, plumbing. electrical,
pool and pool mechanical, finishes and building fabric – are failing
and are unsafe. These conditions are the result of four primary factors:
age and long service; deferred maintenance; seismic activity; and the
humid environment of the natatorium. Further, codes and building standards
have evolved since the building was constructed, so that many elements
are obsolete.
Why couldn’t the City have just patched it up as they did in
the past?
As with any patching situation,
there comes a time when patches just won’t work. The load bearing
walls were failing at an accelerated rate causing the building officials
to declare it unsafe for human occupancy. Also, the pool
was often closed as much as it was open because of mechanical failures.
In its current state, the Plunge needs to be made safe for occupancy.
When will the Plunge re-open? Will it be like our old Plunge?
It will
take 400 days until completion of Phase 1. Yes, it will be still
look like our beloved Plunge. The historic architects have deemed
the front façade
of the building of historic importance. This means that when you
enter the building the entry will be the same. We will still have
the magnificent presence of the Natatorium as we walk and drive by.
Upon entering, the lobby area will be entirely reconfigured to make
user traffic flow smoothly and will have large windows to allow those
entering a panoramic view of the pool area. The building will be
made ADA accessible allowing full use by all potential patrons.
What will all this cost?
Phase 1 will cost $5 million.
Phase 2 is estimated at $2.5 million.
Will the citizens of Richmond be able to afford to use the Plunge?
Yes! The City of Richmond Parks
and Recreation Department as well as the City Council of Richmond insist
that usage of the Plunge be affordable to all. User funds will not
cover the costs of renovation. The renovation fees will come from grants
from the City, State, and Federal government, foundations, corporations,
and individuals. User fees will cover most of the cost
of staffing and maintenance with the City of Richmond providing a subsidy
to make up the difference. .
Do we have any funds now?
Currently there is about $5 million dollars available. This is money
from the redevelopment agency, a state grant, money donated from the
community at large and a California Heritage Foundation grant. The
Richmond Friencds of Recreation and the Save the Richmond Plunge Trust
are in the process of applying for additional funds so that we might
be able to more seamlessly transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2, thereby
saving money in the long run.
©2004 - Save the Richmond Plunge Trust
Site by Hiram
Design Group & SincereDesign.com
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