MOUNT GILEAD — Village Administrator Derek Allen presented village council at its April 19 meeting a detailed report regarding the decision to permanently close the municipal swimming pool.
“The village received 39 years of use out of the pool, which is a good life,” Allen said.
He explained, with documentation that is available to the public, why it was closed.
“The leaking all the way around the pool resulted in 2,512,447 gallons of water being lost in 2019. A leak detection company inspected the pool.”
That amounts to about a foot of water a day, Allen said.
Also there are numerous cracks in the pool and a potential void, which is a monumental safety hazard.
“This could develop into a sinkhole and put a child’s life in danger,” added council member Donna Carver.
Allen emphasized the decision to close the pool was based on professional inspection and reports.
He said the village previously tried to keep it open by investing in stainless steel walls in 2010 and 2014. When the water loss became unreasonable, pool closure had to be considered.
It amounted to 4,836,568 gallons in three summers.
“The pool failed structurally and was considered a safety risk due to the discovery of voids under the concrete,” Allen wrote in the conclusion of the report.
