The ribbon cutting ceremony for a new $5.5 million aquatic center in Leesburg, FL occurred on Dec. 16. The new aquatic center features an 8-lane competition pool and a separate zero-entry multipurpose pool with a slide.
The aquatic center is named for Hubert O. Dabney. In 1954, Dabney lobbied to open a pool for the Black community in Leesburg’s Carver Heights. He coached and ran the pool for the next 35 years. The old pool was eventually also named after Dabney.
Swimming pools are not the only facilities that Dabney has been honored with. The Leesburg high school football stadium is called the Hubert O. Dabney Stadium. Dabney coached football, basketball, baseball, track, and swimming at Leesburg High School. His career record with the football team was 207-45.
Dabney was a coach and teacher in the area for 47 years, and worked as an athletics director at Leesburg High School for three years.
In 1982, Dabney became the first African-American to be inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame. He also served on the board of directors of the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association, which was the governing body of African-American athletics in high schools from 1932-1968.
City Manager Al Minner stated that, “Although it took a little longer than anticipated to finish, I have no doubt that this facility will make our citizens proud and will serve them well for many years to come.” The city began construction of the pool in October 2020 and were originally planning to have it open this summer, but construction was delayed several times due to COVID-19 related issues. The pool is scheduled to be open for the public in March of 2022.