White Oak: Policies outlined for Heritage Hill Pool

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

As is tradition, White Oak’s Heritage Hill Pool is slated to open Memorial Day, which is the same day the majority of Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 pandemic restrictions will be dropped.

Despite the Wolf administration’s announcement of pandemic orders being dropped — with the exception of mask-wearing — White Oak is still moving forward with its decision to not sell daily pool passes this year.

At several meetings amid the pandemic, council, Mayor Ina Jean Marton and Borough Manager John Palyo have discussed whether the pool would open this year and what pandemic-inspired protocols would be in place if it did.

Heritage Hill Pool did not open in 2020 — partly because of pandemic restrictions and partly because manufacturing and shipping slowdowns amid the pandemic delayed delivery and installation of the pool’s new pump system.

At Wednesday’s workshop meeting, Palyo said the new pumps are installed and are working beautifully. He also said the pool, which has been repainted and sealed, has been filled with water and treated with chemicals.

Earlier this year, council announced the pool would open but said borough leaders and pool management decided to only offer season passes, doing away with daily passes.

Palyo said the decision was made because everyone using a season pass must be registered with their phone number and address, and the serial number/bar code of their pass must be scanned into the pool’s computer system each time they enter or leave the facility. Palyo said that means the borough should be able to easily contact trace if an outbreak or exposure of COVID-19 were to be linked to the pool.

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