People who depend on the Palm Bay Aquatic Center are speaking out as the city considers how long it can afford to keep the facility operating.

City staff has considered closing the aquatic center for a year to save about $700,000 in operating costs and delay nearly $2 million in repairs. The city is now searching for a public-private partnership, while redirected funding is expected to keep the pool operating through November.

News 6 spoke with several people at the aquatic center Monday who said the potential loss would reach well beyond recreational swimming.

Michelle Corey coaches a Special Olympics swimming program based at the facility.

“I’ve got lots of adults that don’t know how to swim yet, that we teach them how to swim,” Corey said. “This is the only pool we’ve got.”

Corey said the next Special Olympics program available to many of her swimmers would require traveling to Rockledge, about a 35-minute drive for some families.

Bonnie Murphy said she attends water aerobics at the center about four times a week.

“I started taking the water aerobics, mainly for my health,” Murphy said.

Julie Schwartz has been swimming at the center since 2005 and said it became especially important following several major surgeries.

“It was this pool that helped me to walk again,” Schwartz said. “And it’s my exercise.”

Kristen Yonce has an even longer history with the facility. She said she has worked there since 2007, beginning as a lifeguard before teaching swim lessons and coaching teams.

Yonce said she plans to attend Tuesday morning’s Brevard County School Board meeting as supporters look for help preserving access to the facility.

“I’ll be at the meetings tomorrow, making a little bit of noise, trying to let them know that we’re not going to go down without a fight,” Yonce said.

The aquatic center is not scheduled for a School Board vote Tuesday. Supporters say they plan to attend the meeting to raise concerns and push for the district to become part of a possible long-term solution. Brevard Public Schools confirms its regular board meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Educational Services Facility in Melbourne.

Palm Bay’s current fall schedule lists lap swimming and other programming through the season, although hours can change because of weather, staffing or mechanical issues.

The City of Palm Bay told News 6 Monday afternoon it was working on responses to questions about the aquatic center, including its operating timeline and search for a partner.

News 6 has also reached out to Brevard Public Schools about what role, if any, the district may be willing to play.

Palm Bay City Council is scheduled to hold its second and final FY 2027 budget hearing Wednesday at 6 p.m.