Community Packs Commission Meeting — No Vote, But Fowler Voices Strong Support
Swimmers, parents, and coaches filled public comment at the April 9 City Commission meeting, continuing to press for repair of Freedom Hall Pool. Science Hill High swimmer Annalee Price warned that students may transfer to other schools if the pool remains closed. Parent and BrightRidge Board member Andy Morse publicly endorsed the $750,000 repair as a bridge solution: "Repair the pool for $750,000 to extend its life by 8–10 years while a new facility is planned." Swim coaches Megan Williams and Chris Coraggio echoed the call for repair, citing the inadequacy of Memorial Park Community Center as an alternative. Commissioner Todd Fowler — who has served as team doctor for Science Hill High's swim team for 33 years — voiced strong support for finding a quick solution. Mayor Greg Cox acknowledged the complexity of the situation. No vote was taken and no follow-up meeting date was announced.
Commissioner Wise Dismisses Repair as 'Duct Tape and Chewing Gum' — Coach Chris Fires Back
Commissioner Joe Wise publicly dismissed the idea of repairing Freedom Hall Pool, saying: "Why would we even be entertaining a conversation right now about duct tape and chewing gum on something that is a temporary fix, that isn't the right fit, that probably isn't exactly where we would want to put it." Coach Chris Coraggio responded directly at the April 6 Board of Education meeting: "One of the commissioners characterized the repair of Freedom Hall Pool as one that would be undertaken with duct tape and bubble gum. That was a nice, cutesy soundbite, but his flippant comments were both disrespectful and inaccurate. They're disrespectful in that it denigrated the competence of our city staff members to do their jobs, and it was inaccurate in that any repairs would be done by a reputable company and meet appropriate construction standards — most likely not entailing the use of duct tape or bubble gum."
Coach Chris Formally Asks School Board to Keep Pressure on Commission
Coach Chris Coraggio appeared during public comment at the Johnson City Board of Education's regular monthly meeting and formally called on the board to urge the City Commission to repair Freedom Hall Pool. "I would like to recommend that you continue to be an advocate for our students by keeping appropriate pressure on the city commission to repair Freedom Hall Pool in order to provide an adequate training competition facility now," he said. "Based on research I have done, I believe that repairing Freedom Hall Pool is the best solution we have." He warned that the fall season is the critical deadline: "It's the fall that concerns me more because that's when we'll not only have the club team, we're going to have the high school and middle school team. And quite honestly, for the high school and middle school teams, there's nowhere to hold swim meets." BOE Chair Rick Smith said Coraggio's comments were "in the community's best interest to hear."
Freedom Hall Pool Officially Closes After 50 Years
After 50 years of serving Johnson City, Freedom Hall Pool permanently closed its doors at end-of-day April 3, 2026. The closure proceeded as scheduled despite a sustained community campaign, more than 2,700 petition signatures, and a formal open letter from the Johnson City Aquatics Task Force. The fight is not over: Mayor Greg Cox has committed to a follow-up meeting in two weeks to explore a temporary alternative, and Coach Chris Coraggio said he is "more confident now than I was four weeks ago" about a path forward.
Work Session Outcome: No Decision, But Mayor Cox Opens Door to Temporary Alternative
The joint Commission + School Board work session lasted over two hours but produced no clear plan to repair or replace Freedom Hall Pool. Mayor Greg Cox proposed a follow-up meeting in two weeks and stated: "We can look into a way to have a temporary, safe alternative to Freedom Hall — I think it's just worth the time and due diligence that could look like." School board member Ginger Carter said the closure was a surprise: "It was a surprise to us. I feel like we got a late notice… I wish the school board would have been informed much earlier, so therefore we could have informed our swim coach much earlier." Coach Chris Coraggio called it "a good first step" and said he is "more confident now than I was four weeks ago."
Commission + School Board Joint Work Session on Freedom Hall Pool
City commissioners and the Johnson City Schools Board of Education are meeting today at 2:30 PM at 601 E. Main St. to discuss the future of Freedom Hall Pool — a direct result of the JCATF's call for a joint work session. Coach Chris Coraggio submitted a letter to commissioners ahead of the meeting arguing that Freedom Hall Pool is the only viable bridge facility in Johnson City: "The repair of Freedom Hall Pool provides the community with the facility it needs now to maintain and even expand our current aquatic programming while the new aquatic center is constructed. It is the bridge we need." The regular April 2 Commission meeting has been postponed to April 9 due to an agenda posting error — any formal vote would occur then. Freedom Hall Pool is not listed as a specific item on the April 9 agenda.
New Financial Argument: Closing the Pool Could Cost $425–475K — Net Repair Cost as Low as $275K
Coach Chris Coraggio, citing a pool consulting colleague, has presented a new financial case: closing Freedom Hall Pool is not free. Filling in the pool alone costs ~$375K for a comparable facility. FHP is larger, and additional costs include structural shoring, HVAC reconfiguration (the pool water is used in the building's chiller system), pit fill, and cosmetic work. Total estimated closure cost: $425–475K. That means the net cost of repairing vs. closing is not $750K but $275–325K. "I think that the discussion centering on the $750K price tag to repair FHP is misguided," Coraggio wrote. "Repairing Freedom Hall Pool gives us the time to do the work necessary to give this city the Aquatics Center it needs and deserves."
Source: Barracuda Swim Club Update, March 29, 2026 (Coach Chris Coraggio) ↗Johnson City Aquatics Task Force Issues Open Letter to City Commission and Board of Education
The newly formed Johnson City Aquatics Task Force (JCATF) — convened March 17 with community members who have a vested interest in aquatics — has released an open letter formally submitted to the Johnson City Commission, the Board of Education, the Johnson City Press, and WJHL. The JCATF calls on both bodies to hold a joint work session before their next respective meetings to address the future of Freedom Hall Pool. Specifically, the letter asks that a plan of action be brought to the April 2 City Commission meeting and the April 6 Board of Education meeting as agenda items, with public comment allowed. The letter states: "The condition of Freedom Hall Pool can be the wake-up call needed to progress from studies and polls and move forward to implementation and progress."
Source: Johnson City Press, March 24, 2026 ↗City Manager Hall On Record: "If the Commission Votes to Repair Freedom Hall Pool, That's What Staff Will Do"
In a direct statement confirmed by Coach Chris Coraggio following a meeting with Asst. City Manager Steve Willis and Parks & Rec Director April Norris, City Manager Cathy Hall's position is now on record: city staff will do whatever the City Commission directs. If the Commission votes to repair Freedom Hall Pool instead of closing it permanently, staff will execute that decision. The closure is not irreversible — it requires only a commission vote to undo.
Barracuda Swim Club Forms Task Force to Investigate Short- and Long-Term Aquatic Solutions
Following a ~2-hour board meeting, the Barracuda Swim Club Board voted to form a formal Task Force with invested community constituents to investigate and recommend both short-term and long-term aquatic solutions for Johnson City. Coach Chris has already contacted a former coach turned pool-construction expert — with decades of experience and a network of builders, architects, and suppliers — to advise the Task Force. The aquatics community is no longer just advocating; it is building solutions.
School District Superintendent: Finding Swimmers a Pool Is "Highest Priority" — District Offers to Share Repair Costs
Johnson City Schools Superintendent Erin Slater publicly stated that ensuring middle and high school swimmers have a pool to compete in is the school district's "highest priority." Critically, Slater indicated the school district is willing to contribute to repair costs at Freedom Hall Pool proportional to usage — and that informal discussions about cost-sharing among the city, school district, and other user organizations have already taken place. This removes the city's central argument that repairs are unaffordable: the school district is now publicly offering to help pay.
Source: Johnson City Press ↗Science Hill PTSA Formally Endorses Campaign — 158 Reactions, 72 Shares
The Science Hill High School PTSA has issued a formal endorsement of the Save Freedom Hall Pool campaign, calling on the community to take action before the April 3 closure. The post received 158 reactions and 72 shares, making it one of the most-engaged PTSA announcements in recent memory. This marks the first formal institutional endorsement from a school parent organization — broadening the campaign beyond individual families and swim clubs to the organized parent community of Johnson City's largest high school.
Source: Science Hill PTSA (Facebook) ↗Petition Surpasses 2,700 Signatures — Organizer Named in Johnson City Press
The Change.org petition 'SOS! Support Our Swimmers!' has now reached 2,722 signatures (as of April 2, 2026). Organizer Felicia Losh — a history teacher at Liberty Bell Middle School whose daughter swims five days a week — was named in the Johnson City Press. Losh stated: "I'm not trying to save Freedom Hall Pool. I'm trying to get the word out that the aquatics community needs support." The petition crossed 2,000 signatures on March 9.
Source: Johnson City Press ↗Mayor Cox: "Why Wasn't This Figured Out Beforehand?" — Admits Announcement Was Stronger Than Planned
At a city media event Friday, Mayor Greg Cox acknowledged the pool's condition has been known for decades: "It's not an easy decision, but I think when I was in high school they talked about the pool being in rough shape." He also said: "We all could say, 'what are the answers? Why wasn't this figured Out beforehand?' But this is something that I think the engineers just got in there and made a determination that was a little stronger worded than we planned." The Mayor's own words confirm the closure announcement was more abrupt than intended — and that the lack of planning is acknowledged at the highest level.
Source: Johnson City Press ↗Feasibility Study: Full Cost Is $39–49M — Completed November 2025, Hidden Until March 2026
The aquatics feasibility study was completed in November 2025 — four months before the public closure announcement. The full cost estimate for a new facility is $39–49 million, not the $30M Phase 1 figure Vice-Mayor Brock cited. The study was not posted publicly until March 2026, after community outcry forced transparency. The City had this information while families were making life decisions around the pool.
Source: Johnson City Press ↗Letters to the Editor: "This Is Not a New Problem" — Published in Johnson City Press
Two letters published in the Johnson City Press document a 20-year pattern of inaction. In 2006–2007, Johnson City had a fully developed proposal for a modern aquatics center — 200 people attended a public meeting, the Commission voted to form a planning committee, three design firms were interviewed. Then the project collapsed due to political maneuvering. The proposal was reportedly submitted to Kingsport and became the Kingsport Aquatic Center at Meadow View. The $30M plan Vice-Mayor Brock referenced is not the first time the city has had a plan and failed to act.
Vice-Mayor Brock Confirms $30M Aquatics Master Plan — But No Bridge Funding
Speaking to WJHL News Channel 11, Vice-Mayor Jenny Brock confirmed the City has completed a $30 million aquatics master plan, presented publicly 6–8 months ago. She said the City needs to 'figure out a way to begin to fund that over the next few years.' There is no timeline, no groundbreaking date, and no bridge plan. The community is being asked to go without a pool indefinitely.
Commissioner Fowler: "We Were Blindsided Too"
Commissioner Todd Fowler — also the team physician for Science Hill's swim team — spoke directly to the crowd: "Don't be mad at us, we're trying to help, I promise. Don't feel like we blindsided you, because we were sort of blindsided too." This signals at least one commissioner is actively on the community's side.
~50 Community Members Pack Commission Chambers
Around 50 members of local swim groups and their families filled nearly every seat in the Johnson City commission chambers Thursday night — for an issue that wasn't even on the agenda. The show of force was unmistakable.
City Manager Frames Issue as Worker Safety — Community Responds
City Manager Cathy Ball said the closure is necessary because employees' lives are "in danger" going under the pool to add chemicals. Parent Andrew Slap asked the critical question: "If we've known for years the pool could go down at any point, why wasn't there some planning a year ago, two or three years ago?" The community agrees on safety — but demands accountability for the lack of planning.
City's Only Offered Alternative: Sunday Hours at Memorial Park
The City's sole announced accommodation is extending Memorial Park Community Center pool hours to include Sundays. Memorial Park has no starting blocks and insufficient deck space for competitive meets. This is not a replacement — it is a stopgap that serves recreational swimmers, not competitive programs.
What Happened
A Sudden Announcement with Lasting Consequences
On February 28, 2026, the City announced Freedom Hall Pool — built in 1974 — will permanently close on April 3, 2026, citing end-of-life conditions.
The pool is the only indoor competitive aquatics facility in Johnson City — used by Science Hill High School, Liberty Bell & Indian Trail Middle Schools, Providence Academy, Barracuda Swim Club, JC Masters Swimming, and adult lap swimmers.
Families have relocated to Johnson City specifically for this swim program. This closure disrupts lives that were built around it.
The City estimates repairs would cost ~$750,000 — calling it a 'band-aid' — but aquatics staff indicate those same repairs could extend the facility's usable life 20+ years with proper maintenance. The City has offered no immediate replacement plan.
The only alternative offered — Memorial Park Community Center — has no starting blocks and insufficient deck space for competition.
The City's closure decision is based on an engineering report from Cain, Rash & West Architects (received August 2025) that has never been made publicly available. Families are being asked to accept a permanent closure based on a report they cannot review.
The City spent $225,000 renovating Freedom Hall Pool in 2017 — just nine years ago — including a new ceiling and pool-deck renovation. This is not a neglected facility; it has been actively maintained.
This is not a new problem. In 2006–2007, Johnson City had a fully developed proposal for a modern aquatics center — 200 people attended a public meeting, the Commission formed a planning committee, and three design firms were interviewed. The project collapsed due to political maneuvering. That proposal reportedly became the Kingsport Aquatic Center at Meadow View. The $30M plan Vice-Mayor Brock references is the second time the city has had a plan and failed to execute.
The City has a completed aquatics feasibility study (November 2025) estimating a new facility will cost $39–49 million. Vice-Mayor Brock cited only the $30M Phase 1 figure. The study was not made public until March 2026 — after community outcry. There is no bridge plan, no timeline, and no funding secured. The community is being asked to go without a pool for an undefined number of years.
The City began working with Johnson City Schools on the closure in August 2025 — six months before the public announcement on February 28, 2026. Families, coaches, and athletes were given no advance notice while the city quietly planned the closure.
From the Pool Deck
A Message from Coach Chris
Freedom Hall Pool Update — March 2, 2026
Thank you to everyone for the passion and concern that you have shown regarding the Freedom Hall Pool announcement on Friday. Also thank you for allowing me to get back into town and work on the issue.
Today, I did get to meet very briefly with Steve Willis, Assistant City Manager. I have scheduled a meeting with him and the head City Manager, Cathy Ball, next week. I also was able to represent our interests in an interview with WJHL-TV. Furthermore, I have solicited information from several pool manufacturing companies about possible short- or medium-range options.
Reassure your children that we are still going to have a team after April 3. I know some swimmers expressed this concern to me at practice today. This was day one in the process. There are still questions to ask, answers to get, and avenues to explore.
GO BARRACUDAS! — Coach Chris
Why It Matters
The Real Cost of Closing
Youth Athletic Development
The Barracuda Swim Club, Science Hill High School, and Johnson City Middle Schools all depend on Freedom Hall Pool for daily practice and home meets. Hundreds of young athletes will lose their training home.
Economic Impact
A single regional swim meet generates an estimated $145,000 in direct local economic activity. Nearby Kingsport reported nearly $1 million in monthly impact from four collegiate championships. Johnson City is walking away from this.
Public Safety
Drowning is the #1 cause of death for children ages 1–4 and the #2 cause for ages 5–14 (CDC). Formal swim lessons reduce drowning risk by 88%. Closing the only competitive pool limits access to life-saving programming.
Community Investment
Families moved to Johnson City for this program. The City's own Comprehensive Plan calls for a modern 50-meter indoor pool to host regional meets. Closing Freedom Hall without a bridge plan abandons that vision.
No Adequate Alternative
Memorial Park Community Center's lap pool has no starting blocks and limited deck space — it cannot host competitive meets. The City's own aquatics RFP acknowledged this. Redirecting teams there is not a solution.
A False Economy
$750,000 buys 8–10 more years by the City's own estimate — but aquatics staff indicate those same repairs could extend the facility's life 20+ years with proper maintenance. A modular bridge pool ($1.5–2M) could serve all programs while a permanent facility is built.
This Is Not One Club's Issue
Who Uses Freedom Hall Pool?
Freedom Hall Pool is shared community infrastructure — not a private amenity. Public schools, private schools, club programs, and adult fitness swimmers all depend on it.
Youth & School Athletics
Youth Swim Development
Adult & Community Fitness
Community & Safety Programs
"Sudden decisions without consideration of the long-term devaluing of what we have here grieves me to the core."
— Johnson City Masters Swimmer, Letter to the Editor, Johnson City Press
Public schools · Private schools · Club swimming · Adult fitness · Senior athletics · Public safety training — all in one facility.
This is community infrastructure. Closing it without a replacement plan affects every one of these groups — including the only local venue for Red Cross lifeguard certification.
By the Numbers
The Full Picture
Share these graphics on social media to spread awareness.
In Their Own Words
The City Admits It. Then Closes the Pool Anyway.
Vice-Mayor Jenny Brock, speaking to WJHL News Channel 11, March 2026:
The city has completed a master plan for aquatics. We presented that about six or eight months ago. So, there is a good plan for it. It has had community input and I'm sure it will have more. It's a big ticket item, as you can imagine. The first phase of it's $30 million. And so you don't do swimming pools and the amenities that go around it, you know, cheaply whatsoever. So it is a need, and where we are right now is to figure out a way to begin to fund that over the next few years.
— Vice-Mayor Jenny Brock · Source: WJHL News Channel 11
The City Admits Swimming Is a Need
"It is a need." — Vice-Mayor Brock's own words. You cannot close the only facility serving a need and call that responsible governance.
They Have a $30M Plan
A completed aquatics master plan exists. It was presented publicly six to eight months ago. The community was never told about it when the closure was announced.
But No Bridge. No Timeline. No Funding.
"Figure out a way to begin to fund that over the next few years" is not a plan. There is no groundbreaking date, no interim facility, and no funding secured. Families are being asked to wait indefinitely.
Change.org Petition
SOS! Support Our Swimmers!
A petition has been launched to show the City Commission exactly how many people this closure affects. Sign it, share it, and help us build an undeniable public record.
✍ Sign the Petition on Change.org →Recommended by Coach Chris
Take Action Now
These are the steps Coach Chris has identified as most effective. Every voice matters — especially yours.
On the safety argument: We agree — no employee should be put at risk. That's exactly why we're asking the city to fund the repairs immediately so the pool can reopen safely, rather than close permanently.
Email the City Commission
Write a personal, civil email to each commissioner. Coach Chris's message to the community: "Keep engaging the City Commissioners by email, phone calls, and direct conversations. The more that they understand the scope of the impact closing FHP has had on the community, the better. Keep the dialog positive — you can tell your personal story better than anyone else. Let them hear it."
Suggested Talking Points
The need to prioritize aquatic programming in the city's fiscal spending — both short-term and into the future. The recently completed Aquatics Feasibility Study emphasizes residents' desire for upgraded facilities and the benefits of aquatic programs.
The personal value your children and family have received through participation in the Barracuda Swim Club, Science Hill High School, and/or Johnson City Middle School swim programs. Be honest and heartfelt.
The success of club and school swimming programs — and the desire to continue and build on those successes.
The need for both immediate and long-range solutions. The City frames the $750,000 repair as a 'band-aid' lasting only 8–10 years — but aquatics staff indicate those same repairs could extend the facility's usable life 20+ years with proper maintenance. The community deserves a transparent, independent assessment before a permanent decision is made.
The City's closure decision is based on an engineering report from Cain, Rash & West Architects (August 2025) that has never been made publicly available. Request that the City release this report so the community can evaluate the repair estimates independently.
The City spent $225,000 renovating this facility in 2017 — a new ceiling and pool-deck renovation. This is not a neglected building. The community deserves to understand why a facility that received capital investment nine years ago is now being written off entirely.
City Manager Cathy Hall has confirmed on record: if the Commission votes to repair Freedom Hall Pool, city staff will do it. The closure is not a done deal — it is a commission decision that can be reversed with a single vote. Ask your commissioner to bring it to a vote.
Sign the Petition
A Change.org petition has been launched: "SOS! Support Our Swimmers!" — sign it and share it widely. Petition signatures give the City Commission a clear, public signal of how many people this decision affects.
✍ Sign on Change.org →Reach Out Personally
If you know any of the commissioners personally — through church, school, business, or community — reach out directly. A personal conversation carries enormous weight. Don't underestimate your relationship.
Show Up — April 2 Commission Meeting
Last commission meeting before April 3 closure
The next City Commission meeting is Thursday, April 2, 2026 — the day before Freedom Hall Pool is scheduled to close. Freedom Hall Pool is not currently on the agenda, but public comment is open at every commission meeting. If you can be there in person, your presence matters. A room full of constituents sends a message that no email can replicate.
When: Thursday, April 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Where: Commission Chambers, Municipal and Safety Building, Johnson City, TN
✅ March 5 Commission Meeting — What Happened
Community showed up — the fight continues
Around 50 community members packed the commission chambers Thursday night. Commissioner Todd Fowler — also Science Hill's team physician — told the crowd the commission was "blindsided" by the closure and pledged to help.
The closure date remains April 3, 2026. Nothing has been reversed. The Johnson City Aquatics Task Force has formally requested that a plan be brought to the April 2 meeting as an agenda item. Keep emailing, keep calling, keep sharing.
Share This Page
The more people who know, the more pressure the City Commission feels. Share this page with every swim family, neighbor, and community member you know. Post it on social media. Send it to local news outlets.
Contact Them Directly
Johnson City Commission
Email all five commissioners. Be civil, be personal, and be persistent. Click any email to open your mail app, or copy the address directly.
Commissioner Todd Fowler publicly told the swim community on March 5: "Don't be mad at us, we're trying to help, I promise." Thank him for his support — and ask him to act on it.
Greg Cox
Mayor
Jenny Brock
Vice-Mayor
Todd Fowler
Commissioner — Publicly Pledged to Help
Whitney Goetz
Commissioner
Joe Wise
Commissioner
Our Position
What Needs to Happen Now
Announce a Bridge Facility
The pool is closed and athletes are without a home right now. Mayor Cox has opened the door to a temporary alternative. The City must follow through — whether through repair, a modular pool, or a partner facility — and announce a concrete plan before the fall 2026 season begins.
Commit to a Timeline for a New Aquatics Center
The aquatics feasibility study is now publicly available. It recommends a new facility estimated at $39–$49 million. The City must move from study to action: set a binding timeline, identify a funding mechanism, and publish a phasing schedule so the community knows this will not be shelved again.
Hold a Public Meeting Before Any Decisions Are Made
The joint work session on April 2 was a start. Any plan for a bridge facility or permanent aquatics center must come before the full City Commission in a public meeting with community comment. Decisions of this magnitude cannot be made behind closed doors.
Release the Engineering Report
The closure decision was based on an engineering report from Cain, Rash & West Architects (August 2025) that has never been made public. The community deserves to review the repair estimates independently. Release the full report.
Acknowledge the 20-Year Pattern
In 2006–2007, Johnson City had a fully developed proposal for a modern aquatics center. After a public meeting drew 200 attendees and the Commission formed a planning committee, the project collapsed. That proposal reportedly became the Kingsport Aquatic Center at Meadow View. The community deserves a binding commitment that the current master plan will not meet the same fate.