Frequently Asked Questions about the expanded Cpafc

The 22-acre Crozet Park was donated to the community of Crozet in 1957 as a recreational resource for Crozet residents. Since then, Crozet Park, and especially the Aquatics and Fitness Center (CPAFC), have become a key destination for residents throughout Western Albemarle. The CPAFC fills a critical gap for affordable aquatics, fitness, camps, and recreational activities throughout the year. But with the population of Western Albemarle County growing rapidly and the Crozet population increasing each year, Crozet Park is at a critical juncture. To continue meeting the growing needs of our community, the Crozet Park Board of Directors is planning to build a new aquatics and fitness facility. While the new facility will significantly increase recreational offerings to all generations, we envision the CPAFC as a hub for year-round gathering, wellness, and community connection. What excites us most is the potential of the CPAFC to create meaningful new opportunities for the community’s youth and seniors to stay physically active and socially engaged.

The CPAFC project will provide a roughly 45,000 square-foot facility offering indoor and outdoor recreational and competitive aquatics; extensive fitness options; and community space for seniors, adults, teens, and children in the western part of the County and the surrounding area. The proposed new CPAFC will replace the existing 4,750 square foot recreational building, bathhouse, and pump room built in the 1950s. The CPAFC expansion will be comprised of a two-story recreational community center and a permanently enclosed 8-lane, 25-yard pool. The current pool will remain seasonally open and heated.

Additional features of the expanded CPAFC include:  

• Permanently enclosed 25-yard, 8-lane indoor competition pool; existing 25-meter, 8-lane outdoor pool

• Locker rooms, family changing rooms

• Childcare area with capacity for 120+ children in after school and summer camps

• Multipurpose indoor hardcourt gym lined for multiple sports

• Wellness center with state-of-the-art equipment

• 1/20th mile per lap elevated walking/running track

• Two group exercise rooms

• Community room and extensive space for non-member gathering
  

Park Operations

Who owns and manages Crozet Park?
Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization registered in Virginia. The 22.81 acres, including all buildings and structures, are owned by Claudius Crozet Park, Inc. Crozet Park is not an Albemarle County park. Crozet Park is managed by an 18-member all-volunteer Board of Directors made up of Crozet residents. The Board contracts with a variety of people and organizations to provide services in fulfillment of its mission, e.g., pool management, group fitness classes.

How is Crozet Park funded?
The Park has several sources of funding: The Park Board contracts for operations of the aquatic and fitness facility generating rental income, the bi-annual Arts & Crafts and Winter Brews Festivals, project-specific grants, and generous donations from community members and businesses. The Park also benefits from in-kind donations in the form of labor and materials, mostly related to capital improvements.

What is Crozet Park’s relationship with Albemarle County?
Crozet Park is not a County park. However, we do have a decades-long reciprocal relationship that’s been in place since 1985. In 1985, the County entered into a restrictive covenant with Crozet Park through the Department of Parks and Recreation. This partnership insured the Park would always be used for recreational purposes for County residents. This agreement established that ACPR would schedule the Park’s athletic fields, e.g., baseball and soccer, and in return provide seasonal maintenance including all mowing and snow removal.

What is the current Crozet Park Aquatics and Fitness Center (CPAFC)?
The focal point of Crozet Park is its 8-lane 25-meter seasonal pool and a small 4,750 SF community center comprised of locker rooms, a group exercise studio, and cardio area. The pool, community center, and structures and open space immediately surrounding the pool comprise the CPAFC. The current (and future) CPAFC and programming are operated via a contract with the Atlantic Coast Athletic Club (acac). CPAFC-related programming—summer camps, after-school, sports clinics—makes use of all the Park’s many amenities. 

The Future CPAFC Vision

Why enlarge the current CPAFC?
As a designated growth area, Crozet’s population has nearly tripled in the past twenty years and is expected to reach approximately 16,000 by 2030. As a result, much of the infrastructure supporting Crozet, including recreational amenities, has not kept pace. What began many decades ago as a recreational facility serving mostly Crozet residents has grown to serve broader Western Albemarle County and beyond. The current and future recreational needs of residents are no longer being met by the current CPAFC. Further, the Park’s current facilities are reaching the end of their useful life. Continuing to provide the Park amenities that the community has come to know and love would require a significant investment to maintain existing facilities alone. Now is the time to invest instead in the next generation of affordable, high-quality recreation for all at the Park.

How will the expanded CPAFC be funded and who will own it once completed?
All in, the CPAFC expansion is estimated to cost $18 million. Funding will come from multiple sources including a bank loan, donors, grants, and additional sponsors. The CPAFC operational lease along with community donations and festival revenue will be used to pay off project debt. The expanded CPAFC will be fully owned by Claudius Crozet Park, Inc.

How does fundraising help support programming and access?
Fundraising is critical to the Park’s ability to own this facility. But it does more than build walls. It gives the Park the ability to:

• Keep membership and program costs affordable

• Expand scholarships and financial assistance

• Support broad youth, senior, and community programming

• Prioritize mission-driven use of the facility over profit

In short, philanthropy allows the Park to lead with community needs and meet the Park’s mission of affordable and accessible recreation.

What is the timing of the CPAFC expansion and how long will it take?
With sufficient early fundraising, CPAFC construction could start as early as the end of 2026 and take 12-18 months to complete. We could be open before the Summer 2028 season. During construction, the current CPAFC fitness facility and pool will remain open. 

What will make the CPAFC feel different from a private gym?
The current CPAFC, as a key element of Crozet Park, is community-owned and governed by a volunteer Board with a public mission. That means decisions are guided by what serves Crozet best—affordability, access, and long-term community benefit. The same will be true for the Future CPAFC. From programs to pricing to partnerships, the focus will remain on creating a welcoming, inclusive space where people of all ages and backgrounds feel they belong.

CPAFC Programming

Will membership rates increase with the new facility?
Affordability is a core value of Crozet Park and a central consideration in every part of this project. While final membership rates will be determined closer to opening, yes, they are likely to increase over current rates. However, the Park’s goal is to keep pricing comparable to other nonprofit, community-based facilities—not private luxury gyms. Fundraising plays a critical role in making this possible by reducing debt and allowing the Park to prioritize community-oriented pricing, scholarships, and inclusive access.

Will there be access for non-members?
Yes. Crozet Park has always been more than a membership-based facility, and that will continue. The expanded CPAFC is being designed with significant space for non-member use, including programs, events, youth activities, senior offerings, and informal community gatherings. The goal is a facility that serves the whole community.

Will the new facility expand the Park’s childcare offerings?
Absolutely. Families and young people are at the heart of this project. The expanded CPAFC will support after-school programs, camps, youth sports, swim lessons, and family-friendly recreation. Our current plans provide space for 120-150 children in after school and camp programs operated by acac.

What about seniors and older adults?
Serving seniors is a major priority. We know that our population of seniors needs a place for affordable, high-quality recreation and social connection close to home and year-round! The expanded CPAFC will offer tailored senior fitness programming, safe indoor walking and fitness spaces, and partnerships with organizations like The Center (we’re especially excited about this!) to support healthy aging, wellness, and community connection.

Will the CPAFC partner with other local nonprofits and community groups?
Yes — and this is one of the most exciting opportunities of the expansion. The new facility will create flexible space that can be shared with local nonprofits, youth organizations, senior groups, and community programs. These partnerships help ensure the CPAFC is used throughout the day, reaches a wide range of residents, and reflects the diverse needs of Western Albemarle.

Site and Facility Planning

How will the Park ensure existing facilities are maintained and open throughout this process? 
The Park Board is already planning and working closely with our construction partners to ensure that our current CPAFC facilities stay up and running throughout the construction process. Further, the Park’s Community Building (formerly the radio station) is an important and well-loved part of Crozet Park and will remain in place. It continues to play a vital role in Park programming, community gatherings, and events, and there are no plans to remove or replace it as part of the CPAFC project.

Has a traffic study been conducted?
Yes. A traffic and speed study was completed in 2021 and again in October 2024 as part of the site planning and County review process. The findings informed the current site design, including entrance and exit locations, internal circulation, and safety considerations.

Will there be a new entrance or exit on Hill Top?
Yes. The Park has requested County approval for a new entrance/exit on Hill Top Street as part of the site plan. This additional access point is intended to improve circulation, safety, and traffic flow in and around the Park. To the east of the community building (aka radio building), additional landscaping will be provided along Indigo Rd. to act as an activity buffer for our neighbors to the north.

How have the Park’s plans for the CPAFC changed over time?
As the project has moved forward, the Park Board has continued to work with County staff, engineers, architects, and community stakeholders to refine the design, respond to feedback, and meet regulatory requirements. While the core vision remains the same, details have been adjusted as part of a thoughtful and iterative planning process with multiple stakeholders.

What are the Park’s plans to provide for non–car-centric infrastructure (walking, biking, etc.)?
The Park Board has consistently emphasized the importance of pedestrian and bicycle access. Within the Park itself, where the Park has authority to act, significant effort has gone into planning to expand sidewalks, improve internal circulation, and add bicycle racks and storage near the new facility. These elements were specifically raised during the County’s site plan review and have been incorporated into the latest design. Further, the Park’s long term financial sustainability plans alongside the CPAFC include working with the Trails Crew to continue to invest in trails infrastructure in and around the Park.

For learn more, please contact Park Board at directors@crozetpark.org or the CPAFC Campaign Committee at CPAFC-Campaign@crozetpark.org