Renovated city pool gets right into swim of things

After a year’s Covid-induced hiatus, the Greencastle Aquatic Center returned to action Monday as meteorological summer arrived.

“It was a good trial run,” Park Director Rod Weinschenk told the Greencastle Park Board at its June meeting.

After pushing back the opening from Saturday because of a lack of available lifeguards, the pool opened late on Monday (2 p.m.), waiting for temperatures to top 70 degrees.

On Monday, the pool saw 118 people enjoy the two new water slides, drop slide and other water attractions. Tuesday saw 140 take the plunge.

Gross sales for admissions and concessions on Monday were $2,154, while Tuesday pulled in $2,929.

Eleven individual passes and 14 family passes were sold during the period, it was reported.

“It costs us about $1,100 a day to run the pool for the 70 days we are open,” Weinschenk said.

New concessions manager Joanna Muncie was also enthused about the start of the season.

“So far, so good,” Muncie told fellow board members.

Admittedly unsure of what pool-goers’ tastes might be, Muncie reported that “nachos are a big hit and pretzels (with cheese) are a big hit.”

In fact, she said the concession stand went through the two boxes of pretzels she had ordered in just two days. The cheese didn’t last that long, necessitating an emergency run to Kroger to replenish the concession stand.

Meanwhile, Weinschenk also had good news about the lifeguard staff, which he had hoped would number 22 this season due to extra guards needed atop the new slides.

Four new guards have been added to the staff and were completing training, he reported.

“Hopefully we will have 21 of our 22 lifeguards by next week,” Weinschenk said.

In other business at the brief June session, the Park Board:

• Heard Weinschenk report that he had turned in the city’s application for a $500,000 Land and Water Conversation matching grant, which would help fund improvements to Robe-Ann Park. If successful in obtaining the grant, the park could see construction begin in the fall of 2022.

• Agreed to lower the charge for the group conducting a children’s tennis clinic from $300 to $250 since the group will not be using the tennis courts. The clinic, designed for youngsters six and under, will use the smaller pickleball courts. The Quick Start Tennis Clinic is scheduled June 14-July 22, 9-10 a.m. on Monday and Thursday with the courts reserved 8-10:30.

• Approved $25,957 in monthly claims, including $8,463 for Spear Corp., Roachdale, in readying the pool for its opening. That breakdown was $1,265 for pool repair parts; $4,554 for pool chemicals; and $2,643 for pool maintenance.

• Approved special park projects payments on elements of the pool renovation, including $96,430 for Graves Construction for the waterslides; $36,245 for Boyce Construction Management for the pool exterior; $22,681 for Mammoth Inc. on the pool exterior; and $7,233 for HWC Engineering on the project. Each company has one remaining item on its punch list, Weinschenk said, which Mammoth may have finished Wednesday. “So we’re getting close to being done,” the park director added.

• Heard the annual free Kids Fishing Day for boys and girls 4-17 is set for 8-11 a.m. Saturday at Jaycee Park with registration starting at 7:30.

• Learned that Water Babies learn-to-swim classes will be offered in two sessions June 21-July 2 (times are 5-5:30 p.m. for six months to two years; and 5:30-6 p.m. for 3-4 and 5-6 years). Fee is $45 per child. Registration forms are available at City Hall or the aquatic center. Registration is also available at www.greencastleparks.com.

• Heard Weinschenk report that 40 youngsters have already signed up for the Police Boot Camp later this month, making it the largest group ever for that program.

Park Board President Cathy Merrell and board members Tim Trigg and Pete Meyer joined Muncie for the brief meeting. Ex-officio member Brittany Labhart, Mayor Bill Dory and Park Maintenance Director David Bault were also in attendance at City Hall.

The Park Board will next meet in regular session at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 7 at City Hall.