Future of Aging Clarion Borough Pool Gloomy at Current Location

Ron Wilshire

Ron Wilshire

Published March 10, 2022 11:45 am
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CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — A new lease for the land used for the Clarion swimming pool was approved by the Clarion Area School Board on Tuesday night, but the agreement will likely not be passed by Clarion Borough Council.

(Pictured above: The future of the pool at its current location is uncertain.)

According to Carol Lapinto, President of Clarion Borough Council, it was unlikely because of time requirements in the agreement, rising costs of needed repairs, and the uncertainty of grants.

Council first approached the school board for a new 25-year lease from March 1, 2022, until February 28, 2047, to show possession of the property as required in a grant application.

However, the school district added a requirement that the borough must secure a total of $1,100,000.00 in funds needed to complete the rehabilitation of the pool. The funds must be secured on or before November 30, 2023, or the district may elect to terminate this lease by providing 20 days’ written notice to the borough.

The estimated costs of remodeling the pool skyrocketed when it was discovered extensive changes were needed, including replacement of the concrete decks and ADA requirements.

With estimated costs of nearly $1.4 million to bring the existing swimming pool into complete code compliance, Clarion Borough will abandon its hope of a state grant for renovation, according to Lapinto.

“The borough feels it doesn’t have the money to do this project at this time,” said Lapinto. “The first grant would have been due April, and we wouldn’t have heard anything until late fall of this year. Then, we would have to go on and bid and design, etc. You’re looking at May 2023.”

Either way, CASD and Clarion Borough will split the costs of demolition, and it will be expensive.

“Our feasibility study by EADS said the bathhouse alone will be $38,000.00 to demolish,” said Lapinto. “A conservative estimate is $100,000.00.”

Borough Council may also look at building a new pool on land it owns. The only available land it owns is the Paul Weaver Park in Clarion Township, home of numerous baseball fields. Plans are too far along for a community park on Second Avenue, although an ice skating rink is planned.

“I think we need to get over the shock of not being able to do this,” said Lapinto. “We thought we had our ducks in a row.”

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