AUBURN — The swimming pool at the YMCA on Turner Street that was closed after major flooding in November won’t reopen, the nonprofit group’s director said.

Repairs to the nearly century-old pool were estimated at $400,000, Chief Executive Officer Steve Wallace announced in a news release.

Wallace said the YMCA’s board of directors voted last week not to make the necessary repairs to reopen the pool because of the cost.

“After careful deliberation, we just didn’t feel it was good stewardship to spend that amount of money on a 96-year-old pool,” Wallace wrote. “Instead, the board has opted to accelerate our activities around future community goals, such as our new YMCA and Outdoor Learning and Education Center in Auburn.”

The YMCA is working with Lewiston’s YWCA to allow access to the latter’s swimming pool. Members of the YMCA will be allowed to swim laps at the YWCA with no added cost or membership, Wallace said.

“In the best interest of our communities, the YMCA and YWCA have formed a task force to identify how to work together more collaboratively and ensure swim lessons continue,” YWCA Executive Director Kathy Durgin-Leighton said in the news release.

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The YWCA offers year-round swim lessons and Aqua Fit classes for adults; registration is open for youth swim lessons starting Feb. 20.

“The silver lining to this dark situation is the new relationship we’ve formed with the YWCA of Central Maine,” Wallace wrote.

In addition to pool damages, the YMCA also lost most of its electrical system, five boilers and associated controllers in that flood. Insurance is expected to cover most of the expenses related to the non-aquatic center and full repairs should be complete by the end of February, Wallace wrote.

“It’s time for our Y to start the next chapter of its 150-year history in greater Lewiston-Auburn,” he wrote. “I look forward to engaging the community on how to make our shared vision a reality.”

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