State-Journal.com - Pool closure indefinite

Once a place where kids cooled off during hot summer days, East Frankfort Park’s swimming pool now sits dry and deserted.

Weeds break through cement cracks. A lifeguard chair lies toppled.

Structural problems have plagued East Frankfort’s pool for a decade. The pool’s sand filtration system has been welded 12 to 15 times to seal leaks, draining both the pool’s water supply and piggy bank.

Frankfort Parks and Recreation Department decided in May to shut down the pool for the swimming season and will now decide on a year-to-year basis whether to reopen it.

Parks and Recreation Co-Director Jim Parrish says the problems are simple to trace because the facility was built on a spring that runs beneath the foundation.

A few years after the pool was built in 1971, the entire structure had to be torn down and rebuilt because the spring caused the pool to crack and fall apart.

Parrish speculates that the spring was diverted during reconstruction, but gradually came back through the soil. Though not as bad now, the spring still causes structural problems.

In its dilapidated state, the pool has only been used sporadically.

“It could be used today,” Parrish said, “but not at 100 percent efficiency. We’ve used it primarily for day cares and private parties recently, but we decided to close it off completely this season.”

In order to repair the pool, Parks and Recreation would have to invest at least $20,000 for the pumps, drains and filters. That doesn’t include other upgrades.

“I’m afraid to give an exact dollar amount,” Parrish said. “We’d have to get an expert come and go over every detail on the actual structure.”

Juniper Hill now handles all of Frankfort’s outdoor swimmers and sunbathers. Between 700 and 800 people can visit the facility and either lounge around the deck or swim in the Olympic-sized pool. The highest number of visitors this summer was 650 when temperatures were in the 90s.

Although built in 1956, 15 years before East Frankfort’s first pool, Juniper Hill has undergone a healthier maintenance schedule, according to Parrish. The pump houses, bathhouses and concession stands have been extensively renovated.

This year, the Franklin County Health Department gave Juniper Hill’s pool a perfect 100 during its health inspection.

A program with Frankfort Transit was discussed earlier this year to transport East Frankfort residents to Juniper Hill, but nothing has been put into place, according to Betty Burriss, superintendent of Frankfort Transit.

Even though no established program exists, Frankfort Transit will still pick up swimmers who need rides.

“If there are people that need help getting there, we can deviate off our normal route,” Burriss said. “But they need to call a day in advance.”

A solution is in the horizon, however. Parks and Recreation asked for $5 million to $6 million in stimulus money to build a new family aquatics center similar to others in surrounding counties.

Rebecca Hall, city grants manager, says a request for the aquatics center funds was sent to Gov. Steve Beshear in February, but she hasn’t heard anything.

“Right now, it’s kind of a waiting game,” she said.

Basic architectural sketches have been drawn, according to Parrish, but nothing will be decided - location or construction date - until funds are available.

5.	Posted by Vivian July 4, 2009
	I have gone to Juniper Hills park many times this summer but not the pool. As we were driving by the pool, it looked well attended. You said they raised the prices. Our city is broke (according to the commission), they do not have money to pay for pool upkeep. Where else are they going to get money to repair and maintain the pool if not from the patrons? The Commissioner could institute a recreation tax for the pool and golf course. They could tack another $5 onto the garbage tax and collect another $600,000. That should take care of the deficits of the pool and golf course. All kidding aside, I know the pools are in terrible shape. Steve Brooks has been saying that for 10 years. Maybe as I suggested in my post about "Booster Clubs for Academics" the business community could step up and help the children of Frankfort/Franklin county and provide free labor if the city bought the parts and materials. It sounds like we need a Habitat for Humanity type organization for the crumbling infrastructure of the facilities for our children. In the old days if your neighbor needed a barn repaired or built, crops brought in from the field, everyone would help out. Maybe everyone's civic spirit would come to the front IF the city would buy the parts and materials. If we did something like that, it could keep the kids off the streets and give them something to do. I'd volunteer to help.

4.	Posted by hothead1 July 4, 2009
	Vivian, I take it you have not been to either pool. Both are in desperate need of renovation. Most people shy away from going to our public pools because so much is broken there. It's also all concrete. If you don't get a chair, you have to lay on the concrete. Most just go to cool down or for the exercise. There is not much to do for kids. Yes there is a little kiddy pool but really uninviting for the little ones who feel caged in the way it's set up. By now they have to start over. It doesn't have to be a fancy big aquatic center but there simply needs to be modernization and more space. A place inviting for families. There is enough green space around the pool. I have always questioned why it isn't utilized. They also raised the price to get in. In this economy for a lot of those people who have been patronizing the pool it might not be possible anymore. Lastly, when I read 700 to 800 people capacity, I had to laugh trying to picture how they all would fit in finding spots on the concrete and in the pool. Just doesn't seem possible. Not all at once anyway.

3.	Posted by Vivian July 4, 2009
	Parks asks for $5m or $6m to build aquatics center. Even though Vice President Biden told states and cities to scrub their wish lists. Here's a link: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1908167,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner "Biden's team informed states and localities months ago to scrub their wish lists of anything that might be seen as unnecessary or wasteful.......Cities and states were told to stay away from swimming-pool construction and anything with the word golf in it " Frisbee golf, clock golf, minigolf. I guess our city manager and Mayor failed to listen to this good democratic advice to not waste federal tax dollars on wasteful projects. 1. Also, how stupid is it to ask for $5m to $6m of federal tax dollars when less than $100,000 can get the pool back in operational condition. 2.Even on the hottest days Juniper Hills pool hasn't reached capacity. So why do we even need two pools? Lets fully utilize one before we go build another project for politicians to brag about at the next election.