Next season, the Penn swim team will be relocated to alternative practice sites as their home facility, Sheerr Pool, is set to close in July for renovations that will take the entire 2024-25 academic year to complete.
The plan to renovate was announced in July 2023. This month, Penn provided an update on the project, including the plan to close the pool on July 1, 2024.
The plans for the renovation are still being finalized but will include a new bulkhead, diving board, starting blocks, pool tile, and gutter system. In addition, Penn is planning to upgrade the filtration and pool mechanical equipment, ventilation, and bleacher seating and make accessibility improvements.
“These renovations are necessary to keep the pool facility up to date and in working order,” Penn wrote in their April bulletin. Director of Campus Recreation Shelbi Long told the Daily Pennsylvanian she does not forsee the renovation taking longer than the planned June 2025 completion date.
Advertisement
While Sheerr Pool is closed, Penn swimmers will practice at Drexel University and the West Philadelphia YMCA. The Penn and Drexel campuses are adjacent, and Drexel’s pool is approximately a 15 minute walk from the Penn pool and the YMCA is about 30 minutes. Non-varsity swimmers will also be able to use Drexel’s facilities during the year at the reduced affiliate rate.
The timing of the project allows any Penn swimmers qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials to complete preparations for the event at their home pool.
This includes Matt Fallon, who earned bronze in the 200 breast at the 2023 World Championships. Fallon, the 6th fastest 200 breastroker in American history, is one of the favorites to make the Olympic team in that event. Fallon trained at UGA for the past two summers but confirmed to the Daily Pennsylvanian that he plans to train at Penn leading up to Trials.
Penn was the only mid-major program to have swimmers from both their women’s and men’s teams score at the 2024 NCAA championships. At the 2024 Ivy League Championships, the men finished 4th and the women took 5th.
A special weather statement was issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 10:06 a.m. until 1 p.m. for Warren, McKean, Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Cambria and Somerset counties.
“Temperatures will drop below the freezing mark through midday with rain showers quickly changing to snow showers. Blustery winds may dry off roads and other paved surfaces, but any residual water from previous rain or melting snow could freeze up and result in slick spots through the afternoon,” explains the weather service.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.
(WHTM) — The GIANT Company recently confirmed that it will be closing five of its Pennsylvania-based fulfillment centers.
According to The GIANT Company, these Pennsylvania fulfillment centers that will be closing down include locations in Lancaster, Philadelphia, Willow Grove, Coopersburg, and North Coventry.
The company will also be closing its centralized e-commerce fulfillment operations in Manassas, Virginia, per a press release.
A spokesperson with GIANT says these upcoming closures are the result of a company decision to transition fully to store-based fulfilment, as opposed to centralized fulfilment.
Advertisement
“We’ve learned over the past few years that there isn’t a one size fits all approach to our e-commerce business, particularly our fulfillment model” The GIANT Company said in an email. “With customers expecting faster delivery, we need to ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible to meet their ever-changing needs. ”
The GIANT Company adds that orders will now be “shopped” by GIANT Direct team members in store, and delivered orders will now be completed by a third-party instead of a GIANT Direct driver.
Some benefits of this change include faster delivery times, expanded assortment, delivery windows are now only one hour, and customers will be able to make changes to an order 2-3 hours before the delivery window, instead of the previous 4-6 hours window.
According to The GIANT Company, these fulfillment centers will continue to operate into early next year, with most closures occurring by the end of Q1 in 2026.
The fulfillment center in Lancaster County is expected to wind down operations by the end of April 2026, affecting 81 team members.
Advertisement
According to a WARN Notice filed with the Department of Labor & Industry, the GIANT fulfillment center located in Philadelphia will close down on February 13, a move that will affect 128 employees.
The GIANT Company notes that its focus now is to support team members affected by this transition.
“E-commerce remains an important segment of our business strategy and key to our future omnichannel growth,” The GIANT Company added. “We remain committed to providing an outstanding experience to our customers by offering speedy delivery, more delivery windows, broad product assortment and value.”
This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available.
