It’s easy to take our local pool — and the fun, connections and exercise it provides — for granted. Yet, for many rural communities around our state, there isn’t a public pool in that entire county, or in the surrounding counties, says Danny McConnell, president and CEO of Family Y in Augusta, Georgia, which includes 8 locations. “So, when we plan a new community pool, we’re very aware of the positive impact it can make,” he says. “That means it has to be right. It has to be great.”
Solving this need is at the heart of the long, fruitful relationship between the YMCA and Simpsonville-based Genco Pools, and McConnell is eager to tell the story. “Anytime we are in the planning stages of a new YMCA, we start researching what the community wants, and every single time, a swimming pool tops that list,” he explains. Over time, the collaboration between the Augusta YMCA and Genco Pools has ranged from brand new construction to ongoing maintenance. What could have been standard-issue, unremarkable pools have instead become creative, resort-quality destinations the community flocks to.
“Right away, from our first project together, we started to learn just how much expertise Genco had. Even though we came to them with an existing plan, there were multiple decisions made by the Genco team throughout the construction that ultimately made the results better,” McConnell says. “From there, we started doing other design-build projects together. Once the team at Genco heard what we wanted to do from a programming standpoint, they used that perspective to improve the original designs. They would ask questions like, ‘Tell us what you want members to experience. How can we help you do what you do at the Y?’ They’d contribute to our annual fundraising campaigns, too.” says McConnell.
Beyond the community involvement, the Genco team takes pride in creating innovative, enriching water features that elevate the YMCA’s pools to waterpark levels of fun and functionality. “Over the course of the day, our pools serve so many different and diverse groups, with everything from exercise and water safety to physical therapy,” he says. “These pools enrich lives, and the designs needed to reflect that.”
Some of those notable water features include splash pads with jets, kiddie pools with mini-slides and mushrooms, raindrops and buckets and geysers — just to name a few. “To do something this different, we’ve relied heavily on the expertise of the builders at Genco to tell us not only what looks good and is safe, but what functions well and what families typically like,” McConnell insists. “That expertise is invaluable.”
Each pool across the Augusta Y’s eight locations doesn’t just offer endless year-round enjoyment; they serve a critical need. “At the Y, we’re always in the business of teaching kids how to swim,” McConnell says. “With Genco’s help, we launched a county-wide learn to swim effort called Splash. It has allowed every second grader — almost 30,000 kids at this point — to spend a week at the Y learning water survival skills.”
More than anything, McConnell appreciates transparency and dependability when embarking on a new build or big project. “The team at Genco quickly earned my trust — not just with the caliber of work they do, but with their helpful tips. They have a lot of experience all over the Southeast, and they brought that to the table. I felt pretty comfortable working with the Genco team, and I’ve come to really appreciate their honesty. They’ll tell me whether or not it can be done, and they always deliver.”
Communication is key, McConnell insists. “Something will always come up. We’ve lucky to have a clear line to the team at Genco. We know they’ll always pick up the phone,” he adds. “I’m appreciative of people who know their business and keep their word. They’re not always easy to find these days, but when you do find them, you want to hang on to those good companies and go back to them when you have another project.”
