DOJ Reaches Settlement with Disgraced Huntingdon Valley Swim Club

Yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice said that it reached a settlement agreement with Valley Club, the former Huntingdon Valley swim club accused of racial discrimination following an incident in 2009.

The DOJ filed a lawsuit against the now-defunct swim club in January 2010. According to a DOJ press release, the settlement resolves discrimination claims filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, and it also resolves a private suit filed by the children who attended Creative Steps, a northeast Philadelphia day camp and the children’s parents.

From the press release:

“Creative Steps Inc. a Northeast Philadelphia children’s day camp, had paid the club a fee to give its campers access to the club’s swimming pool for the summer.  On the first day they swam, the children reported hearing racial slurs while enjoying the pool."  

According to the complaint, Creative Steps entered into a contract with the Valley Club that would allow the day camp children to swim for 90 minutes each Monday for seven weeks, ending Aug. 10, for a fee of $1,950. The club’s president and board of directors on June 30 then adopted a police to bar all summer camps from using its facility; the club told the camp its children could not return and refunded the camp’s money.

The club then filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2009; according to the press release, the club property was sold in June 2010 for $1.46 million.

Per the relase:

 “The settlement agreement stipulates that once the administration of the estate and the bankruptcy case is closed and after paying allowed costs and fees, the remaining assets will be paid to more than 50 children, their camp counselors and to Creative Steps.”

It goes on to say that $65,000 from the sale of the Valley Club property will go toward the creation of a “leadership council” that comprises former Valley Club members, Creative Steps counselors, campers and their families.