Pool needs highlight Park Board issues

Courtesy photo

It’s still seven weeks until the Greencastle Aquatic Center reopens for the summer season but there is work to be done, the Park Board learned at its April meeting Wednesday night.

Valves are stuck on both the poolside and filter side of the strainer, Assistant Park Director Chrysta Snellenberger reported.

Additionally, the strainer basket needs to be replaced. The items in question all make maintenance of the pool easier, she told the board.

Spear Corp., Roachdale, has submitted a $10,798 estimate on repairing what needs to be done to open the pool.

Snellenberger said she hopes to fill the pool with water April 21-22 so all the necessary testing can be completed by the first of May.

The pool traditionally opens the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, which will be May 28 this year.,

Park Board members questioned where the money from repairs would come.

“There’s money in the park budget for pool repairs,” Mayor Bill Dory said, indicating that he would work with City Clerk-Treasurer Lynda Dunbar to find the proper funding source to cover the necessary repairs.

The board approved a motion to have President Cathy Merrell sign the proposal for valve work by Spear Corp. once the document is ready.

However, another potential hold-up is a human issue with a lack of lifeguard candidates for the 20 spots the Aquatic Center offers (24 guards would be ideal because of the two big slides needing a guard at the top and bottom).

Only five potential lifeguards have applied, Snellenberger said, none possessing water safety instructor (WSI) qualifications.

The mayor said city officials “have been talking to everybody we know,” trying to remedy the shortage.

One problem noted is that even McDonald’s is advertising paying $13 for help, while lifeguards generally get a little more than $11 an hour or $11.75 with a WSI.

Snellenberger said she will likely bring in the current applicants/prospects for evaluation next week.

The city will be advertising the lifeguard openings in a number of places in coming weeks.

In other business, the Park Board:

-- Welcomed new Park Director Greg Ruark to his first official meeting. “I’ll just say one thing,” Ruark said, “We’re off to a good start.” He also expressed a thumbs-up for the people he’s worked with so far.

-- Heard that chilly temperatures and possible snow flurries are the forecast for Saturday morning when the annual Easter egg hunt is staged at 10 a.m. at Robe-Ann Park. The rain date is Apri; 16.

-- Agreed to a Doggy Spa Day event June 11 (time to be announced later) at the dog park at the southwest end of Big Walnut Sports Park. DeWayne Altemiller has organized Puppy Playdates, a group that has grown to 80 members, saying they get about 10 dogs a night “and they’re having a blast.” The spa day will include two groomers with donations going to the Humane Society.

-- Heard Mayor Dory report that the Indiana Department of Transportation is offering $3,850 for four parcels of temporary right-of-way acquisition along Robe-Ann Park, Mary Field Park and possibly City Hall and the Jackson Street parking lot. He also noted that INDOT will reimburse the park $500 for the removal of three trees in the right-of-way at Robe-Ann Park, two of which would have to come down anyway, he said.

-- Authorized a Child Abuse Prevention Month display by Family Support Services of West Central Indiana at the southwest corner of Robe-Ann Park.

-- Heard an update from Julie Carr of A Kinetic Change that hopefully the new volleyball court will be created at Big Walnut Sports Park this month. “It should just take a few days (to construct),” she said, noting that “it will be exciting to have the fitness station and basketball court and volleyball all there together.”

-- Granted permission for the Quick Start Tennis Program to again use five pickleball courts for the 10-day program June 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30 and July 11, 14, 18 and 21. The pickleball courts are said “perfect” for the kindergartners and first-graders who use smaller rackets and foam balls in the instruction.

-- Tabled a decision to repair lighting at the tennis and pickleball courts. Redoing the lights with 32 LEDs would cost $15,042, according to an estimated from Fauber Electric, Greencastle, while a smaller project to convert four lights and four “shoeboxes” to LEDs would cost $2,388. Mayor Dory will see if Duke Energy is still providing rebates for such energy-related projects.

-- Approved shelterhouse use for an all-day Saturday, June 4 event hosted by Harmony Baptist Church.

-- Approved shelterhouse use for a Putnam County Hospital Cancer Center program as presented by Jen Balka. On each second Saturday from May through October, cancer patients and their families can walk and network and visit and enjoy doughnuts and coffee from 8-10 a.m.

-- Approved the return of a part-time maintenance worker in a program with Putnam County Comprehensive Services. Now in his third year, the worker will receive a raise to $13 an hour (with a $4 PCCS administrative fee) for 144 days. The job will begin April 4 and end Oct. 31.

Park Board members Tim Trigg and Joanna Muncie joined President Merrell for the one-hour meeting at City Hall. Board member Pete Meyer was absent. Park officials Ruark and Snellenberger were also joined by Maintenance Directors David Bault and City Council member Stacie Langdon.

The next regular session of the Greencastle Park Board is set for 7 p.m.Wednesday, May 4 at City Hall.