Mill Creek pool being given to park district

The owner of the private Mill Creek Swim Club is giving the facility to the Geneva Park District.

Details are still being worked out between the district and the Shodeen family, according to a news release. Transfer would be completed by early May, and it would open the second week of June.

The club is in the Mill Creek subdivision, which was developed by Shodeen Inc.

"It just made sense from several perspectives," said Paul Ruby, vice president of operations for Shodeen Hospitality, which oversaw the club. "The park district can run it efficiently ... and it will serve the community better."

The club, at 39W125 Mill Creek Drive, was built in 2006. The club has a five-lane, 4-foot-deep lap pool, a toddler pool, a dry playground and a clubhouse.

Blackberry Township assessor's record indicate the property was assessed at $175,954 in 2013, which would put the market value around $527,862.

Shodeen approached the park district, according to Sheavoun Lambillotte, the executive director of the park district.

"It gives us an opportunity to do more programs," Lambillotte said, by adding evening and weekend swim-lesson options, and more time for lap swim.

The district also expects to expand its party-rental options, and having the second pool could allow the district to open Sunset Pool earlier for open swim, according to Lambillotte.

The park district has long wanted to expand Sunset Pool, but the cost held leaders back, especially after the recession hit.

The district will offer a Sunset-only membership and a Gold membership that includes both pools. Mill Creek would be open mid-June through mid-August, while Sunset Pool will be open May 24 through Labor Day weekend. Lambillotte said the district researched the gift before agreeing to it, and determined the Mill Creek Swim Club could be operated on a break-even basis, even though the district will have to hire more staff.