Shades of summer: Pool improvements coming

Before anyone starts throwing shade at the Greencastle Aquatic Center, you should know some improvements are on the way this season.

The Park Board has already contracted with Putnam County Comprehensive Services to run the pool concession stand this summer, and at its May meeting the board agreed to purchase and install sun shade shelters, strip the locker room floors and redo the locker facades in the bathhouse.

The sun shade system project provides a triangular canopy, 45 feet per side, for shade at the shallow end of the pool, while 10-by-30 and 10-by-15 foot shade walks are planned for the west side of the pool deck. The units can be removed and stored after the swim season ends.

Total cost of the shade systems, being purchased from Shade Systems Inc., Ocala, Fla., was approved at $29,285 to be purchased out of EDIT (Economic Development Income Tax) funds set aside for park improvements, Mayor Bill Dory said.

“There’s a big movement to put up shade structures,” Park Director Rod Weinschenk said, noting that it is typical of families to come to the pool, spend about 30 minutes in the hot afternoon sun before deciding “that’s enough sun” and packing up to leave.

“But if they can be in the shade during that time,” he reasoned, “that half-hour turns into two or two and a half hours.”

Sprucing up the bathhouse is also aimed at making a visit to the pool more family friendly.

Weinschenk plans to spend $2,000-$2,500 to have the floors of the locker rooms power-washed and stripped of paint, putting them back to concrete, which he said can be “sealed and made to look nice.”

At the suggestion of Mayor Dory, he is also investigating a project to upgrade four banks of lockers by covering up the rusted bottom two rows of lockers with a painted facade.

“Right now the lockers look terrible,” Weinschenk admitted, “because the bottoms are all rusted out.”

“The good news,” Park Maintenance Director David Bault interjected, is that the pool is being filled and opening day is Saturday, May 25.

Relative to that, the Park Board approved the hiring of Greencastle Aquatic Center personnel, including assistant manager Mariah Monnett and 19 lifeguards, several of whom are returning for a second season or more.

Returning guards are Daniel Johnson, Jack Howard, Hector Lezama Saenz, Abigail Beauchamp, Zoe Weltz, Catherine Weeks, Gillian Monnett, Sal Martoglio, Karl Egold, Kiera Wells and Anastasia Wood.

New guards this summer are Keeli Pastore, Nina K. White, Michael Stewart, Samantha Jones, Allison Scott, Eli Hardwick, Paige Kaiser and Jacob Carter.

Also returning are pool admissions attendants/cashiers Kaitlyn Dibble, Savannah Edwards and Anastasia Wood, along with newcomers Emma L. Huber and Nicholas Sabin.

With swim season so close, Weinschenk is hoping to set up a training session at an indoor pool for guards to acquire their Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certification. None of the guards has a WSI.

“Technically,” Weinschenk said, “you only need one WSI but it would be nice to have four or five.”

In other business, the Park Board:

-- Approved other summer seasonal park help, including returning workers David Williams and Ethan Mooney and new hires Lawrence Taylor and Rodney McCammack.

-- Heard City Attorney Laurie Hardwick report that issues with the surface of tennis and pickleball courts have been resolved with the general contractor on the project, McCullough Excavating, Bainbridge. Original work was done by a subcontractor with experience in tennis courts. Besides replacing the cracked surface, additional work will be done to add an underlying layer of fabric such as that used in road paving to strengthen the surface and provide longer life. That additional work is expected to cost $19,000 and be funded from EDIT funds set aside for park improvements.

The project is expected to begin after May 13 when Greencastle Middle School is done using the courts. Mayor Dory said the contractor wants to move quickly to get the work done, however, a 30-day curing period on the asphalt will be necessary.

“We’re hoping to have it done by July 4,” Weinschenk said, adding that a summer tennis program set for June may have to be moved elsewhere.

-- Accepted the donation of “double-webbed climber” piece of playground equipment to be installed at Big Walnut Sports Park, thanks to donations from the Stephanie Hunter Memorial Fund (from Stephanie’s friends, family and co-workers) and Kinetic Change, the group that installed the basketball courts in honor of Keith Carr, late son of Mark and Julie Carr. The equipment is designed for youngsters age 5-12.

-- Heard that Spear Corp. is checking out splashpark operations in advance of it opening for the season once the weather turns consistently warm. Weather permitting, the splash park is open daily, free of charge from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

-- Heard Bault announce that the annual Kids Fishing Day is slated for Saturday, June 1 at Jaycee Park. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. with contests from 8-11 a.m. and awards to follow. Free of charge, it is open to boys and girls age 4-17.

-- Agreed to reserve the pool Friday, July 12 from 6-8 p.m. for the annual Greencastle Pediatric Dentistry pool party.

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the Greencastle Board of Park Commissioners is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6 at City Hall. Board President Tim Trigg, John Hennette and Cathy Merrell were joined for the 45-minute May meeting by City Councilman/Park Liaison Steve Fields and ex-officio member Brittany Labhart.