For 92 years, the pool at Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA has been a recreational and learning venue for Columbus residents. During most of those years, the pool has looked pretty much the same as when it was installed.

With the help of a donation from Steel Dynamics, YMCA recently completed much needed repairs to ensure the Rob Jones Aquatic Center continues to serve the aquatic needs of Lowndes County residents.

The fitness center will host an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the renovated pool starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday.

“It would be very hard to place a number on the people who have learned how to swim in this pool over the years,” said Jimmy Woodruff, executive director of the Columbus YMCA. “I learned how to swim here when I was 9 years old. It was an outdoor pool then and was such a fun and special place. Our family lived downtown and we could walk to the pool from our home.”

The Downtown Columbus Branch of the Frank P. Phillips Memorial YMCA officially became a YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association) in April of 1924.

In 1930, the current building and outdoor pool, located at 602 2nd Ave. N., were built at a cost of $75,000. The pool built of concrete and Art Deco mosaic black and white tile was considered the best of its era.

Today the pool is an indoor heated facility, and can serve members year round. The roof and walls were added and it was converted to the Rob Jones Aquatic Center in August 1999.

“In this day and time a pool to an athletic facility is just as important as the treadmills,” Woodruff said. “It is the centerpiece of any YMCA.  We use it to do a number of cardio and exercise classes to help our members improve their quality of life.”

“This pool has also been home to many of our Columbus championship swim teams and is home to our current team,” he said.

Mickey Brislin learned how to swim at the YMCA pool when he was 5 years old. Then, the pool was outdoors.

“It looks about like it did when it was new,” he said, while visiting the pool Friday with Woodruff.

Brislin was among the children who participated in the 1960 Columbus swim team that won a state championship. It was the first title the Columbus team ever received.

“After 1960, we won every year for about 10 to 15 years,” he said of the swim team.

The pool in the aquatic center is 75 feet long and 30 feet wide. The swim lanes were increased from four to five for swim teams to practice and host local Golden Triangle area swim meet competitions, Woodruff said.

The pool renovations began at the end of October. On the exterior, the mosaic tiles were repaired, Woodruff said. Then the surface of the pool was acid washed three times, cracks repaired and all the tile was regrouted.

Renovations also included replacing the plumbing, piping, filter systems, pool heaters, chlorinator and pool pumps, Woodruff said.

The pool deck was redone with a new “Cool Deck” gray stained textured surface that helps make the surface stay comfortable to bare feet in the heat of the summer.

The support beams for the roof of the center were also repaired. Everything inside was repainted.

The pool reopened on Feb. 7 for its first swimming lessons. A full slate of classes are scheduled throughout the remainder of the year, Woodruff said. Check out the website at columbus-ymca.com for upcoming class schedules.

Everyone is invited to attend Monday’s open house.

“We have had so much interest and excitement from our members and the community as we have worked toward this day,” stated Cynthia Mutch, marketing and membership director of the Columbus YMCA. “We appreciate everyone’s patience as we have made the necessary renovations to our pool.”