Pool Committee meets, aims to make a splash
By Christopher Miller
The Mill Hall Pool Steering Committee met Wednesday, Nov. 10 to discuss next steps in the pool revitalization plan.
The pool, a local community asset, has been serving the residents and visitors to the area for half of a century. Constructed in 1971, the pool has been a refreshing oasis from sweltering summer heat waves that has seen the likes of at least three generations of families.
Now this iconic beacon of summer freedom is in need of repairs and major updates.
“There has been continual maintenance on the pool – structural, patchwork repairs, leaks…we have to fill it twice a day in the summer,” said committee members. “It needs ADA updates to be fully compliant, new fixtures such as showers and bathrooms, office-space, concessions.”
“The goal is to have a completely new pool within 2 years, or at least adequately repaired and updated,” said committee member Rainelle Wallace. “We are under a very tight timeline over these next 6 months to begin a feasibility study and proposal.”
The proposed timeline is broken down into 2 main parts:
October – December 2021: survey the existing facility, review existing programs, conduct public meetings for input, have the architect develop concepts and for design and examine financial options.
January – March 2022: conduct more public meetings to gather input, view presentations of potential concept designs, review total estimated costs, receive completed feasibility study by between February and March, and then submit stud results to DCNR for a possible grant to cover the costs for pool remediation, if not, reconstruction.
The winning bid proposal for the project was awarded to architect Brent Boyer of Aquatic Facility Design, Inc. of Millersburg, PA.
The steering committee, made up of various Mill Hall Borough council-people and interested residents, is to promote community awareness and gather feedback and buy-in for pool remediation through outreach and fundraising through grants and other various funding options.
Lenny Long, committee member and retired professor, spoke in depth about the need for multiple public meetings, a presentation to show interested groups and organizations, and the potential economic impacts that the revitalized pool could have on the local community.
“We need to create a presentation to show others at meetings with clubs and organizations to help drive awareness for the project,” Lenny said. “Potential businesses and companies will want to see what is available for their employees and their families in our area, and this could be a portion of what could bring that business here…seeing this aquatic facility right in our own backyard.” “People will want to see concepts and the future looks of the pool facility…it is a good facility (what there is now), but it is beyond its time.”
Also something that will have a driving impact with the opportunity to receive grant money for the project will be “key-person interviews.” These interviews, of which at least 10 are required, are with people not associated with the project who can see the opportunity with the project. A list of people to contact was brainstormed and drafted consisting of individuals within the Mill Hall area, adjoining townships, the City of Lock Haven, and Clinton County.
The next meeting was set for Wednesday, December 8 at the Mill Hall Borough office at 7pm. A meeting may occur at a sooner date depending on availability of the architect behind the project to attend and discuss concept designs.
Stay tuned to The Record and therecord-online for further developments.
