Thoughts on bringing more tourist to the Outer Banks

There has been much talk about events such as Bike Week and the Outer Banks Marathon during the shoulder season and their impact on the local economy.  Outer Banks Republic posted the pros and cons of each group and has added the Shriners to the list of potential visitors we should try to attract in the future. 

On a more serious note, I have an idea that I think would greatly benefit the locals and bring in revenue during the shoulder and off season.  Swimming Pools.  Now I am not talking about the 12 foot long versions you see at many of the vacation homes - I am speaking about two 25 yard (one in Hatteras, one on Roanoke Island) and one 50 meter Olympic facility (on the beach).  Dare County Parks and Recreation has been discussing the desire to have pools for the citizens of Dare.  Everyone seems to want them - we just need the money to build them.

Here are some of the benefits of building pools on the Outer Banks:

• We are surrounded by water and there are no public swimming pools.  Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death of children between the ages of 1 and 14.
• Manteo High School Swim Team practices at the Elizabethan Inn indoor pool but it is not the ideal facility to train competitively (no starting blocks or lane lines). 
• First Flight High School Swim Team practices at the Outer Banks Family YMCA.  The YMCA allows the local league to host a few meets during the season.
• Hatteras High School has no facility which equals no Swim Team for Hatteras High School
• Water aerobics for seniors and rehab patients are a low impact exercise alternative for those that might not be able to train on land.
• USA Swimming Meets - We could easily host 4 to 5 meets from September through May.  The Outer Banks Swim Club currently competes in Tidewater and Northern Virginia.  When swimming parents see our swimmer's caps (OBX logo), they want to know if they can come to a meet on the Outer Banks (I wish they could - driving to Virginia is not as much fun for me as driving to the Outer Banks is for them).  A typical swim meet is Friday through Sunday with 800 swimmers competing.  Add to that another 1,500 parents and siblings and you have a lot of people visiting the area for the long weekend. 
• If you build the right sized facility (costs more money = more benefits), we would be able to host much larger regional and sectional meets.  These meets usually last four to five days.  We would also open ourselves to college teams that typically travel over the holidays to practice locations.

We could even invite the Shriners to the meets.  They could bring their little cars and buzz around the swimming pool parking lots.  It sure would be nice to rent cottages, hotel rooms and fill some restaurants during the slow months. 

Comments

[Overwash & UnderCoat]

You said..."We are surrounded by water and there are no public swimming pools"....
95% of good common sense folks might say you shot your own argument in the foot. And I agree. Learning to swim and learning water safety should never be a problem on the Outer Banks, even without swimming pools.
As for adults...there's plenty of room in the sounds and ocean. If they want better...tell them to spend their hard-earned money and join the Y... As for school children and sports teams....Yes...perhaps they need an adquate swimming pool; but, let's fact it folks...this isn't football, basketball, or baseball....We don't need an olympic pool in every school or community in the county. Perhaps, the high school PTA's/booster's clubs at each of the three high schools might spearhead their own project(s) and get the ball rolling. Then we would really see how much support there is for such. Or, is it just too easy to belly up to the commissioner's podium and say "Pretty Please".