City pool season could be in jeopardy due to virus impact

Friday, April 3, 2020
All playgrounds at Robe-Ann Park in Greencastle have been closed indefinitely in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. While the gate to the skatepark is locked and the Emerald Palace is roped off, the adjacent basketball courts remain open.
Banner Graphic/Eric Bernsee

With the 2020 pool season less than two months away, Greencastle park officials are keeping their fingers crossed that a summertime opening is possible.

While weather is typically the villain in opening the aquatic center on time (Memorial Day weekend is the annual target), this year other factors are weighing heavily.

First, there’s the ongoing construction that will see two new slides added to the facility. Thursday night Park Board members were told that Graves Construction, Switz City, is “right on schedule,” looking at a July 1 completion of the project, Park Director Rod Weinschenk advised.

But then there’s also the COVID-19 virus that has wiped out almost any activity through May, including the Indianapolis 500, all spring sports and even DePauw University commencement.

“We’re planning on a (pool) season but I wouldn’t hold my breath with everything else being canceled,” Weinschenk said.

“I don’t want to talk negative about the pool season,” he added, “because I’m looking forward to it.”

Board member John Hennette asked if anything further has been done concerning the aquatic center concession stand since Putnam County Comprehensive Services (PCCS) decided not to return to operate it this summer.

“We’re planning on doing it,” Weinschenk said of the park staff. “I don’t want to get caught unprepared but ever since (the March City Council meeting), COVID-19 has taken over.”

The park director said he is planning “a simple menu” for the snack bar if and when the pool might open.

Hennette also wondered what might happen if the virus abates and the go-ahead is given for activities but it’s late in the season (the pool is scheduled to close Aug. 9).

“We’re preparing for the season,” Weinschenk responded. “If you’re saying fill it (the pool) in early May but not being able to operate until late July, it might not be cost-effective” to open at all.

Once the pool is filled, chemicals are added and filtering begins, all of which cost money, which would be a waste if the facility does not open for the season.

“The benefit of not opening is we could move right into the second phase of our construction and be ready for the 2021 season,” Weinschenk added.

Meanwhile, the ripple effect from the coronavirus has resulted in the closing of the skatepark since groups were congregating there. Playgrounds have also been closed to help contain the spreading of the virus, Weinschenk said.

“I don’t see any problem with the basketball courts,” he said, “but we’ll close it off if we see a problem.”

Meanwhile, in another virus-related development, board treasurer Cathy Merrell spotted a $494.72 expense for Easter egg hunt supplies on the claims docket.

Much of that, Weinschenk said, was for four boxes of candy used to fill the 7,000 eggs that are scooped up in the hunt each spring. Of course, the egg hunt, originally set for April 4, has been canceled this year.

“The day it (the candy) arrived is the day we canceled the egg hunt,” he said.

The candy, Weinschenk added, could easily become “nickel candy” for the pool concession stand to recover costs. One drawback, however, is that the wrappers are so small, they could end up in the pool and its filtering system.

The board agreed that was a bad idea and could cause expensive repairs. The candy will instead be held for a possible Halloween hunt.

In other business, the Park Board:

• Passed Resolution 2020-1 relative to the deposit of public funds during the public health emergency. The park will follow suit from City Hall, depositing funds on Tuesdays and Thursdays instead of every day. Treasurer Cathy Merrell will be empowered to sign claims on her own without the entire board, while board President Tim Trigg was empowered to act in Merrell’s absence.

• Approved a portion of Graves’ work on the pool project at $96,430. Most of that work has been underground and some concrete work in the aftermath of the slide removal.

• Approved a request from the Greencastle Rotary Club and president Bob West to put a trailhead marker near the Calbert Way shelter at the People Pathway/National Road Heritage Trail (NRHT). The 30-inch tall obelisk, which will include People Pathways and NRHT logos, is expected to be installed sometime this month.

• Learned that the aquatic center improvement project will include gutters over the shelterhouse to redirect water away from the locker rooms. Weinschenk said acquisition of new lockers has not progressed any further. “I’d say at this point, we’ll probably go without lockers this summer,” he added.

• Heard that the 2020 park activity guide is nearing completion and will be posted online but not printed at this time. “We’ll be ready and prepared (to print),” Weinschenk said, “but we’re not holding our breath with everything that’s being canceled.”

• Heard that the asphalt work on the pickle ball and tennis courts will require a stretch of 70-degree days and then will need to set up for 30 days before play is allowed on them. That could come at the of last April or early May, Weinschenk said.

• Heard Weinschenk announce that he is now a certified park and recreational professional after passing a recent test. While with his experience, the designation is unnecessary, but the park director said he “just wanted to reaffirm my commitment to the field.”

Park Board members Trigg, Hennette and Merrell were joined via phone conference by member Joanna Muncie.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Greencastle Park Board is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, May 7 at City Hall.

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  • You think i would want my children to get candy that old at halloween?

    -- Posted by Keepyaguessin on Fri, Apr 3, 2020, at 9:42 PM
  • How old do you think the candy your kids already get at Halloween is?

    -- Posted by techphcy on Fri, Apr 3, 2020, at 11:46 PM
  • Not losing much if the pool is closed all season, looks like it would only be open 5-6 weeks at best.

    -- Posted by Ben Dover on Sat, Apr 4, 2020, at 9:08 AM
  • Where was the city council member that sits on the park board?

    -- Posted by Falcon9 on Sat, Apr 4, 2020, at 9:50 AM
  • Techphcy....I dont. However when they put it in print...then I know it's old

    -- Posted by Keepyaguessin on Sat, Apr 4, 2020, at 12:06 PM
  • Maybe Rod can provide the "best if used by" date on the candy at the next Park Board meeting. I am willing to go way out on a limb and say it will much later than 10/31/2020.

    -- Posted by gustave&zelma on Sat, Apr 4, 2020, at 2:01 PM
  • I am Tyler Wade, the City Council member who serves as liaison to the Parks Department. I am not a member of the Park Board. I would've called in for the meeting last week but I was making dinner to celebrate my Mother's birthday.

    -- Posted by tjwade12 on Sun, Apr 5, 2020, at 10:47 PM
  • How long do you all think this candy has been sitting in the manufacturing plant, months ?, then in a warehouse for a year or two, then in the merchandisers warehouse, then on the store shelf. you all have been feeding your kids old candy forever. Freshness is just all in how it is stored. Please Don't tell me you believe everything you buy to eat was just processed a month or so ago.

    -- Posted by sierrasusanne on Mon, Apr 6, 2020, at 7:40 AM
  • This candy was intended for a giveaway event so there wasn't an expectation of recoup the money so why not take it to the Emergency Food Pantry or the New Life Baptist Food Pantry ( or both) and donate it. The recipients who really appreciate the treats and many of those do have children.

    -- Posted by Workingthesoil on Mon, Apr 6, 2020, at 8:09 AM
  • Not concerned about candy but am curious about our behavior on the backside.

    How long after a so-called "all clear" are parents going to allow their children in a group situation (especially like a swimming pool)? Will there be "early adapters" who are willing to be the trial? Will there be a wait and see approach and let others be the first? Or will a significant number of parents turn away from public pools?

    Will group gathering places put limitations early on? Make users sign waiver to not pursue litigation if they become infected with COVID or other viruses from the group setting? Will they require a taking of temps?

    As 9/11 changed how I fly, I am curious how this will impact our behavior.

    These will be things interesting to observe.

    -- Posted by beg on Mon, Apr 6, 2020, at 9:44 AM
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