From the Town of Bel Air:
The Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners and Town Staff expressed disappointment in hearing today the Bel Air Athletic Club (BAAC), was closing their doors on or about February 16, 2023.
Commissioners and staff noted they were unaware the business was closing and contrary to information posted on several social media outlets, the Town is unaware of any plans BAAC, or their corporate owners, may have for the property.
Additionally, despite social media reports to the contrary, there is no known nexus between potential development at the Harford Mall and BAAC’s closing. Town officials were not aware of their decision and subsequent announcement until we began receiving inquires earlier this morning.
We were as surprised as anyone when we heard the news and then saddened to learn of their decision. The Club’s beginnings date back to the late 1970’s and have been serving generations of families for many years. They have been an excellent, and popular, community partner who have served the Town and Greater Bel Air for several decades and they will be missed. For additional information from the BAAC please click on the below link:
BAAC Website Link: https://wellbridge.com/bel-air-athletic-club/
From Bel Air Athletic Club:
Valued Member,
For more than 40 years, Bel Air Athletic Club has played an important role in the lives of Harford County residents and businesses. The club has been able to celebrate Bobcat high school state titles and Noon Year’s Eve with you, decades of fantastic summers on the pool deck and in OutBAAC summer camp.
During this time, members and teammates have created a vibrant group that connects for all types of fitness as well as countless social events both around town and inside the club. The cliché “work hard, play hard” definitely describes the healthy community you’ve helped develop. That’s what makes this announcement so difficult.
Since the COVID-19 shutdowns and their continued impact on our industry, Wellbridge ownership has worked diligently with the landlord to negotiate rent that leads to a sustainable and healthy business. In conjunction, our team has routinely gone above and beyond to serve your health and wellness needs while working to push the business back to profitable levels. Unfortunately, Bel Air Athletic Club’s landlord has decided to repurpose the property. Therefore, we must close the club’s doors permanently on Thursday, February 16, 2023.
Understandably, you likely have questions regarding your membership. For your convenience, we’re striving to answer most of them on our website. It is important to note that if you choose not to use the club in February, you must indicate your early cancelation by completing our online form by Tuesday, January 31. If the website does not answer your other questions or concerns, please write to belairclubclosing@wellbridge.com and provide the following:
:: First & Last name
:: Birthday and/or membership account #
:: Specific questions you have regarding your account
We will have teammates dedicated to handling member emails, but it may take up to 3 business days to respond. If you do not hear from us after that time, please try again to ensure we have received your inquiry.
We wish you the best and hope you continue your fitness journey. It has been a pleasure to be a part of your extended family and watch you inspire active lifestyles.
With gratitude,
Your Club Team
Truth is a court paper was filed Dec 13. They owe 31 million in back taxes . Tens of millions in back rent.
Doesn’t smell write. The limit in District Court is 25K
DOJ directs the FBI to stand down regarding the collection of Biden’s classified documents. Doesn’t pass the smell test. It has never been more apparent that the Democrats and the Left control the DOJ, the MSM, and totally have disregarded the rule of law and have no problem obstructing Justice to accomplish their agenda. Pathetic!!!
I know why he can’t explain. Pure and simple he is a hypocrite of the first order. He’s another clown in the MAGA Republican circus (Jordan, Gaetz, Greene, Boebert & Santos). Enough with the clowns. What we need now is a someone to lead the GOP party forward.
The truth is I’m a liberal, American-hating, dumbfuck
hahahahahahahahahaha
In a society that savors bigotry and accepts from black America what would set peoples hair on fire if verbized the same way by whites, what do you expect? The mention of BLACK this and BLACK that is a rejection of the POST RACIAL society envisioned by Dr. King and an embracement of the concept of Black supremacism endorsed by groups like the Black Panthers during the civil rights movement. Those of us that lived through and believed in the movement are disgusted by what we have seen since 2018 and this new bigotry’s advancement.
” all that’s needed for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing ”
GD
This actually segues into an observation that I made while watching President Biden delivering his speech about the late Dr. Martin Luther King. He was not paying homage to a great man he was using the speech to further a political agenda and possibly subliminally fueling further division. If he was truly sincere regarding race relations he would have publicly denounced his past support of school segregation and comments about “turning the schools in to urban jungles”. Maybe he should have admonished his son Hunter for his use of the N-word comments on his laptop. Not doing so makes him look to be a hypocrite like so many in his party.
His comments regarding the need to “retrain” police regarding use of force to me was a subtle innuendo suggesting that certain groups, as it pertains to the use of deadly force, are targeted by police. Mr. Biden suggested that police should be trained to “shoot people in the leg”. Police use of firearms is a last resort measure and on the top level of the use of force continuum. Police don’t shoot to kill. They shoot to STOP. Center mass. In most every case it is not the police that escalate the situation to the use of deadly force consideration. If Biden would stop for one minute and attempt to understand what it was like to be a police officer instead of vilifying them he would not look like such an ass. I am quite sure that if he asked he would be allowed to go to the training facility of any police department in the country. Furthermore, he should attend a firearms training session. His first stop should be the standard shooting range with paper targets which do not propose a threat to the shooter. They don’t shoot back. Generally speaking most officers shoot pretty well under those circumstances. Then Mr. Biden should watch the same officers in a “shoot house” or Hogan’s Alley scenario. This is where, in a timed exercise, silhouettes of armed and unarmed persons pop out. The officer. in a split second needs to identify a threat, determine a course of action, and utilize deadly force measures if required. In many cases, in a manufactured stress scenario, even the best of the still target shooters, will not sometimes hit the silhouette even at close range. My point is the President speaks out of ignorance in an attempt to placate certain target groups. He fails to consider the very real possibility of innocent people being injured. Police need to continue to be trained to shoot center mass. Maybe Mr. Biden would be better off training our citizens to be more law abiding, nonviolent, productive, good people. This would drastically reduce unnecessary and possibly injurious or deadly interaction with police.
Law By Trend, Polling.
Well that’s the pot calling the kettle black! Look what Bill Barr did for Trump!
BAAC prices are what got them here. Had they created more affordable membership rates, they would without a doubt have a full membership roster. They can blame the pandemic if it makes them feel better, but that is not the reality. If they really wanted to stay in business, they would have adapted their pricing to attract more clientele. Perhaps something better will go into that location, or it simply won’t get used and it will become a parking lot. Either option is better than a business nobody wants to spend their hard-earned money at.
It wasn’t the membership, they had like 3000 members. Too rich for me thou
https://www.cerescourier.com/opinion/editorial/the-democrats-double-standard-over-the-kkk/
The past is behind us…
This space will be developed into more low-income housing.
probably wouldn’t be a bad idea considering how poorly compensated harford county public school teachers are in the early years of their career
Poorly compensated are you kidding?
The pay scale for the first 5 years is between $50,649 and $56,802 on the low end and $58,733 and $67,328 on the high end. Apparently, you are forgetting about the additional medical, dental, and insurance benefits that teachers receive as well. Additionally, teacher receive 1 paid sick day per month for years one and two and 1.25 days per month beyond year two.
For the 2022/2023 season, the schedule is from August 25th through June 27. This is 219 days of service.
Now we can deduct the following days schools are closed, 9/5, 9/26, 10/5, 10/21, 11/8, 11/24, 11/25, 12/26, 12/27, 12/28, 12/29, 12/30, 1/2, 1/16, 2/17, 2/20, 4/3, 4/4, 4/5, 4/6, 4/7, 4/10, 5/29, and 6/19. = 24 days
219 scheduled days minus 24 days that schools are closed would leave 190 days of actual teaching.
Not to mention the schools also have 3 -hour early dismissal on 9/23, 11/4, 11/11, 11/23. 12/9, 12/23, 1/27, 2/16, 3/10, 3/31, 4/28 and 5/26. = 36 HOURS. We will call this 4 more combined days off.
Now we are down to 190 days minus 4 more additional days off = 186 days of actual teaching.
Plus, they are being paid for 10 additional sick days regardless of if they use them or not.
On the lower end of the scale, Step A (year 1) w/BS and std certificate.
A starting salary of $ 50,649 / 176 day of work = $ 287.78 per day or $ 36 per hour.
On the lower end of the scale, Step E (year 5) w/BS and std certificate.
A starting salary of $ 56,802 / 176 days of work = $ 322.74 per day or $ 40 per hour.
On the higher end of the scale, Step A (year 1) w/Masters + 60hrs certificate.
A starting salary of $ 58,233 / 176 days of work = $ 330.87 per day or $41 per hour.
On the higher end of the scale, Step E (year 5) w/Masters + 60hrs certificate.
A starting salary of $ 66,828 / 176 days of work = $ 379.69 per day or $47 per hour.
Keep in mind that teachers can retire w/pension with 20 years of service and for the
sake of transparency, they contribute 7% of their salary to this.
Compared to private sector workers who get no pension, on average of 5 sick days per year, a week or two paid vacation time and have higher benefits costs, teachers are doing quite well by comparison. I doubt very many of you are making $36 per hour starting salary, don’t get summers off, are required to work in inclement weather, and don’t receive a pension.
If teachers want higher pay, they should work a job that requires them to work 12 months per year like the rest of us. It makes no sense to pay them 12 month salaries for 8 months of actual work.
Greetings Jamison,
Would not agree poorly compensated. Compensated commensurate with educational expectations as compared to other career paths, actually lower.
For more transparency, the three hour early dismissal days are the kids leaving early, not the teachers. And even a bit more transparency, only a small fraction of the graduate work required to maintain credentials and advancement on the pay scales is reimbursed. The large majority of these requirements are out of pocket expenses.
Take into account the amount of after class/school tutoring teachers provide students at no additional cost the loss of income opportunity is also deducted from the contracted pay rate. And secondary teachers are also required to volunteer nine additional hours of their time to extra curricular supervision, etc.
Feel free to calculate those factors into your analysis. You cite good benefits, and that is true. The benefits are great. The pension is a fair compensation after 30 years (you cite 20, but the hit to the take-home is ridiculous, it is 30 years for full) considering there is no employer matching for 403(b) deductions.
Now, I would and could go on about how many teachers provide decorations and learning enhancements to their classroom also out of their own pockets. These materials assist kids to learn better and provide a good environment that is welcoming. I have worked in the private sector in the past and can attest the employer never asked me to pay for the office furnishings or decorations. My employer also paid all training for the job in full. I recognize not all do that. However, I think the point is made.
Perhaps rather than this partially accurate rant about teacher compensation you should instead inquire why someone would feel the pay is poor. Again, I do not feel it is poor, less than it ought to be for the amount of training and education, yes; but not poor. Instead of investing angrily into an online rant perhaps reach out to a teacher and find tangible ways to make the job of teaching the next generation better. Perhaps many other ideas that escape my mention.
I wish you a great day.
Lie. Junk math prevails among dems
Something better will go into that location, or it simply won’t get used and it will become a parking lot. Either option is better than a business nobody wants to spend their hard-earned money at.
Oh yeah: Bob is an ignorant cocksucker
I think HCPS should teach CRT. I will be onboard for doubling their salary if that happens.
If they taught CRT AND PERFORMED GENDER REASSIGNMENTS. Harford County needs more pronouns
Hello,
I am 78 years old and have seen much change in Bel Air. In my opinion, this location should be made into an agricultural museum, with replicas of vintage stagecoaches.
Thank you.
M’S. Matilda Stark – Hood
Bel Air Athletic Club has now been purchased by Coppermine. We will have the owner of Coppermine, Alex Jacobs on our “Let’s Talk Real Estate” Live Streaming Video Podcast on Wed, March 22 @ 7 P.M. – This is a LIVE Q/A show so please bring your questions, comments and concerns to our show!
Visit http://www.Facebook.com/MDHomesTeam then LIKE and Follow us to be notified when we go LIVE.
See you then!