Rockford Pool Closed
By William Kincaid as printed in the Daily Standard May 21, 2008ROCKFORD — The village swimming pool should never be open to the public again, even if funds for renovation are secured, councilman Eugene Steiner said.
During the regular village council meeting on Tuesday evening, Steiner told fellow councilors that he and a few members of the Rockford Area Development Corporation inspected the pool on May 17 and determined there are substantial problems with the pool concrete – especially in the deep end. “The pool shouldn’t be open this year,” Steiner said. “People don’t realize that thing is (over) 30 years old.”
Village council members have no plans to open the pool this year, as they have not included any funding for the pool, even after objections from the public. It will cost at least $25,000 to open the pool this summer, village officials have said. This only includes funding for chemicals, employees and other necessities and not money required for major repairs.
At a past meeting, RADC President Pete Hayes said the organization is searching for funding mechanisms for a possible new pool in the future. However, he pointed out that the new pool in Wapakoneta cost the town around $1.3 million.
If a new pool is constructed in the future, Steiner said he would like an outside
organization, such as the park board, to maintain it and relieve the village of any commitment.“We just don’t have the manpower,” Steiner said.
The village, Steiner said, is not properly manned to shut the pool down correctly each year or perform the necessary inspections.
Also at the meeting, council members learned:
- Paving on Front Street should begin late next week, according to Tumbusch Construction, St. Henry. Council members are confident the Front Street project will be completed by June 13. Mayor Amy Joseph advised citizens to use detours safely and wisely. They should also be considerate of nearby property, she said.
- Village Administrator Jeff Long still needs 69 income survey responses as
required by the Ohio Department of Development for a possible $500,000 grant. - In order for the village to even qualify for the Ohio Small Cities Community
Development Block Grant, more than 51 percent of the village must have a low to moderate income. The money would be used to replace water lines in connection with the forthcoming water treatment plant. - Fire hydrants will be flushed the weeks of June 2, and June 9.
