Fate of Heritage Hill Pool remains uncertain
By JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
White Oak council still hasn’t decided whether Heritage Hill Pool will be open this summer.
Like many other pool managers and municipalities in the area, White Oak council in part delayed its decision to open the pool because Allegheny County was in the yellow phase of the state’s reopening plan on Memorial Day, which typically serves as the swim season opener, and because it was unsure about what social distancing guidelines would have to be observed in the green phase.
On top of that, the delivery of the pool’s new pump system, which must be installed before the pool can be filled, has been delayed as a result of coronavirus pandemic closures and high demand within the shipping industry.
During Monday’s meeting, Engineer Ken Hillman announced the pumps were at the FedEx processing facility in New Stanton and were expected to be delivered today. The project should be completed by July 10, he said.
“It seems like we are going to be slim on any type of pool season,” Hillman said. “We would just like some direction about whether or not there will be any consideration for opening the pool or if that’s going to be passed on to next year.”
Councilman Chuck Davis said it takes at least 10 days to fill and chemically treat the pool, so it wouldn’t be ready for swimmers until at least July 20.
“I want to open it, but I’m not sure if we’re going to have time to bring lifeguards back, train everybody and to then keep social distance,” Mayor Ina Jean Marton said.
She said White Oak’s policy is to hire lifeguards that are at least college-aged and that most lifeguards who annually work at the pool have already secured summer jobs.
Councilman George Pambacas said lifeguards will require a week’s worth of training once hired.
Hillman said the pool will have to be filled and treated regardless of whether it is open to swimmers because the pumps need to run for a month “to make sure there are no issues.”
Hillman said if council should choose to open it, the pool would be able to be open for about four weeks “with really cold water.”
Councilwoman Julie Opferman, who is chairwoman of the recreation committee, said she wants to talk to pool manager Brian McClain one last time about whether he thinks it would be worth it to open for a limited season.
“I get asked daily about the reopening of the pool,” she said. “I know we only have the month of August basically, but we have to fill it and put chemicals in and run the pumps anyway. … I would just like to talk to him again before we completely say no because I know a lot of people are wondering.”
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