Harvard and Cambridge Will Not Alter Inspections Of Buildings Housing Pools In Light of YMCA Collapse

The partial collapse of a YMCA pool roof in West Roxbury because of corrosion has not prompted Harvard or the city to change building inspection procedures, officials said yesterday.

"There is no mandate for building inspection [in Cambridge law]," said Joseph Cellucci, Cambridge's commissioner of inspectional services. "We don't inspect for structural integrity." But he said if a complaint were field, his department would arrange for an outside consultant to examine the structure.

Harvard has not received any complaints about the buildings that house the University's three pools and has no plans to alter inspection programs, said Michael N. Lichten, director of physical operations. Harvard's pools are located in the Malkin Athletic Center (MAC), Blodgett and Adams House.

Lichten said that although "we don't inspect for corrosion...the MAC was renovated in the last five years, and people work up near the Blodgett ceiling often to change bulbs."

Blodgett Lockers

And although corrosion is a problem on lockers and radiators at Blodgett, Lichten said employees have not noticed roof damage.

Since the West Roxbury accident, the board of directors of the Greater Boston YMCA will close its swimming pools for three days to allow structural engineers to examine them.

The director of Cambridge's YMCA could not be reached for comment.