Falling paint closes Bowman Gray Pool

Strips of paint falling from the ceiling of the Bowman Gray Pool facility caused its closure earlier this month, University officials said.

The closing forced at least one lifetime fitness class and with several clubs and activities to relocate.

Dana Leeson, construction supervisor for UNC, said safety concerns aren’t related to any chemical danger from the paint.

“It’s not a health hazard,” he said. “What we’re worried about is a four-foot long piece of paint falling on them.”

In March 2010, fire-proof paint was applied to the ceiling of Bowman Gray Pool as part of the larger renovations in Woollen Gym and Carmichael.

“When we were building the sports medicine facilities as part of the Woollen project, we had to run a sprinkler system through the building,” Leeson said.
“The state said we had to remove old paint and put on fire-proofing.”

To determine what has caused the peeling paint on the ceiling, officials from UNC’s construction management department recently met with Clancy & Theys Construction Company, the firm contracted to perform the renovation, Leeson said.

In order to reopen the pool, the University has two options, Leeson said. It could supervise complete structural repairs or small repairs to peeling areas.

“It won’t be a cost to the University,” Leeson said. “We’re looking for the contractor and supplier who originally put on the paint. We’ve met with them and they don’t seem to have an issue with correcting it.”

Sid Stone, director of construction management, said the department is examining whether the contractor put the specified paint on the ceiling.

“If they put the wrong stuff on, they’ll redo it on their own cost,” Stone said.
“We’ll try to expedite the work and get the pool open as soon as we can.”

Bruce Runberg, associate vice chancellor for facilities planning and construction, said in an email that when the renovation occurred in 2010, asbestos and lead paint were removed and a fire-proof paint was applied.

He said the University is moving quickly to determine what caused the problem, repair it and reopen the pool.

Leeson said the engineering and environmental services firm S&ME was hired to test for traces of lead paint. The results were negative, and there was not a chemical hazard from the paint, he said.

“I know it’s an unfortunate incident and the contractor is trying to figure out what’s wrong,” Leeson said.

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