CITY OF MADISON AWARDED $2.57 MILLION FOR CRYSTAL BEACH AQUATIC PARK

Bethany Legacy Foundation is a new non-profit private foundation established in 2022

                                                                                             (CITY OF MADISON PHOTO) 

Madison, Indiana (February 7, 2023) – The City of Madison announced today the Bethany Legacy Foundation has awarded a $2 million grant for the rehabilitation of Crystal Beach Swimming Pool. The grant, along with $570,000 committed to the project by Jefferson County, will close the gap in funding and provide access to low-income families.

 In early 2022, the city announced Crystal Beach Swimming Pool was deteriorated far beyond repair and needed to be replaced entirely. The city worked diligently to develop a plan to preserve the iconic “seashore” design while offering amenities for multigenerational use. As work progressed on the new aquatic park, the city sought additional funding sources to support the project.

 “Crystal Beach is a regional destination and an important piece of Madison’s history. Prioritizing the safety of those who frequent the pool has always been at the forefront of this project while ensuring the pool is accessible to all. We are grateful for Bethany Legacy Foundation’s support for our Crystal Beach Aquatic Park development. This partnership is truly transformative for the community, and I could not be more pleased with this opportunity,” said Madison’s Mayor Bob Courtney.

 The $2 million grant, along with funding from the City of Madison Redevelopment Commission, Jefferson County, and financing provided by German American Bank will be used to complete the demolition and rebuild of the new pool into an aquatic park that will include interactive water features for young children, a lazy river, two lap lanes, diving board, a wet deck, new slides, and chairs and umbrellas. A portion of the Bethany Legacy Foundation grant will be specifically set aside to support access to the aquatic park and swim lessons for families in need.

 “Our foundation is determined to fuel environments that promote well-being for everyone in Jefferson County. The Crystal Beach project is perfectly aligned with this goal. It’s also very important for us that every family regardless of income level can access and enjoy the pool. The Bethany Legacy Foundation and City of Madison will partner with Bill Barnes and his team at the Community Foundation of Madison and Jefferson County to ensure a portion of our grant is directed to supporting access to the pool by low-income families,” said Bethany Legacy Foundation’s CEO Dora Anim.

 On Monday, February 6, the Board of Public Works and Safety awarded the contract to RL Turner Corporation for the aquatic park which will open in May of 2024. Additional announcements will be made at a later date regarding swim lessons and aquatic programming for the 2023 season.

Bethany Legacy Foundation is a new non-profit private foundation established in 2022 focused on designing solutions that remove economic and social obstacles to create the healthiest community.