PORT ANGELES — Olympic Medical Center’s hydrotherapy pool will remain open for at least the rest of this year, hospital officials announced amid public applause this afternoon.
The heated pool at the Olympic Medical Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation clinic at 321 N. Chambers St. in Port Angeles was slated to close for financial reasons Sept. 1.
OMC officials cited the $50,000 replacement of the pool liner and ongoing operating losses as reasons to close the pool in a well-attended board meeting last month.
Dr. Scott Kennedy, OMC chief medical officer, announced in a work session today that an anonymous donor has pledged to match $25,000 in other donations to replace the liner.
“We plan to keep the pool open after reconsideration, a careful review of the input that we’re had and in view of the community interest and the importance of this pool,” Kennedy said.
By restructuring pool management and working to increase volumes, OMC officials hope to keep the pool open through 2015, too.