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Join the Club
Since the early 1900s, the Blue Ridge Swim Club has been a place to relax, swim laps,
and have family fun. We invite you to join us and begin enjoying this
unique summer experience.
About the Pool
Nestled between overhanging trees and grassy areas for sunning and
socializing, the pool at the Blue Ridge stretches more than one hundred yards
long by ten yards wide. Distance swimmers can travel a mile in just over
seventeen lengths. Unique among pools in this area, it is fed by a spring
and a small stream. Because the water is continually replenished and only
lightly chlorinated, it more nearly resembles lake water than the treated water
found in most pools.
At the shallow end of the pool, a roped-off area with wide steps provides a
safe place for young children to splash and play. A diving board over the
deep end diverts older children while their parents relax on a sunny deck or
catch up with friends under poolside beach umbrellas. A new deck at the
shallow end of the pool offers an ideal setting for family picnics.
The Grounds
Sixteen acres of fields and woods surround the pool area. A large
playing field provides space for soccer, volleyball, badminton, croquet, and
ultimate Frisbee. Recreational equipment including inner tubes for use in
the pool are available at the guard house. There are picnic tables next to
the pool and on both decks. Members arriving by car will find ample
parking, including handicapped access from the lower lot.
A Bit of History
The pool was originally designed by an engineer who worked on the Panama
Canal. In the early 1900s, it became part of a large boys camp.
Campers would arrive at the Ivy train station and spend the summer in tents.
In 1966, the Club became a nonprofit corporation owned by certificate members
and operated by a volunteer board of directors and numerous helpful members.
The Spirit of the Place
The Blue Ridge spirit has always been casual and neighborly. Pool
members value safe fun for children and strive to maintain a quiet retreat for
people of all ages. Many members walk to the pool from their homes in
surrounding neighborhoods, and many others drive from all over the area to enjoy
a bit of country life close to town.
We believe that the Blue Ridge Swim Club is an exceptional place. For
many members, it offers an attractive alternative to overly commercialized,
crowded, and expensive clubs. For other members, our comparatively modest
annual dues allow them to join Blue Ridge as a second pool and enjoy a welcome
refuge in bucolic surroundings.
Prospective members are invited to drop by the pool at any time to enjoy a
complimentary day of swimming and fun. Please introduce yourself to the
lifeguard on duty when you arrive.
Details, Details
The pool and grounds are open daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, weather
permitting, and until 8:00 pm on Sunday evening. Red Cross certified
lifeguards are always on duty during pool hours.
A lifeguard is available for swimming lessons from 10:00 to 11:00 am by
appointment.
Members may reserve the pool for private parties after regular pool hours.
Membership Information
Two types of pool memberships are available:
Seasonal members may use the pool and other Club facilities for the summer
season (ordinarily Memorial Day through Labor Day).
Purchasing a Certificate membership entitles the holder to participating
ownership of Club assets (including the pool and surrounding land).
Certificate members also elect the Club's Board of Directors and have the right
to vote on other matters relating to the operation of the pool.
Certificate members also receive a discount on annual dues, which offsets the
cost of a certificate within just a few years of membership.
Both Seasonal and Certificate memberships are available at reasonable rates
for families and individuals. A
membership application form
(in Adobe PDF format) is available on this website.
The Blue Ridge Swim Club is committed to the principle of equal opportunity
and nondiscrimination. The Club welcomes members regardless of their race,
color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, ancestry, or national
or ethnic origin.
Directions
The pool is located on Owensville Road less than a mile south of Meriwether
Lewis Elementary School. From Rt. 250 West (at Duner's Restaurant), turn
north on Owensville Road, and look for the pool entrance 1.2 miles on right.
From Garth Road, go about 1/2 mile past Foxfield, turn south (left) on
Owensville Road, and look for the pool entrance about 2.8 miles on the
left.
The Blue Ridge Swim Club
1275
Owensville Road
P.O. Box 424
Ivy, Virginia 22945
Phone: (434) 977-3937
www.BlueRidgeSwimClub.org
info@BlueRidgeSwimClub.org
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