GRAND JUNCTION – In some small towns, tough financial decisions usually have to be made quickly. Grand Junction is no different. Two years ago, it had to close its pool because it didn’t have the money to fix it. But thanks to the efforts of community members, it’s back and better than ever.
When the temperatures rise,there’s nothing that can cool you off quite like the pool does.
“We really get a lot of compliments on how clean it is,” said Samantha Schmidt, the manager of the Grand Junction pool. “We really take a lot of pride in that.”
Doug Jacobs has brought his kids to the pool a lot this summer.
“It was pretty boring (without it). There’s not much to do here in town anyways,” said Jacobs. “So, it’s nice to have the pool again.”
But in his small town, the pool was in danger of being shut down for good. It was not in good shape, and cost a lot to repair. That meant city leaders had to make a difficult decision.
“The hardest thing was closing it, but knowing the kids’ health was…and this was not filtering correctly was a huge deal for us,” said Teresa Lansman, the former mayor of Grand Junction, who led the efforts to save the pool.
The price tag was high: about $200,000, and some didn’t think this all would be worth it.
“There were a lot of thoughts that went around that a splash pad would be a lot better and a lot cheaper, and not have the lifeguards, but it’s not a pool,” said Lansman.
“There were several fundraisers and a lot of generous donations,” said Randy Frantz, the parks and recreation manager in Grand Junction.
With a fresh coat of paint, and the issues resolved, they’re back in business.
“People really appreciate it being open,” said Schmidt. “It gives them something to do during the day, especially in small communities. It’s really nice for kids and families to have something to do during the day.”
Below the deck, the problems are no more. New valves and gauges have things humming again.
“I can tell when I go down below the deck and do stuff in the chemical room,” said Schmidt. “It’s so easy.”
Even with a year off, the fruits of their labor are continuing to pay off. It’s showing it really is their pool.
“It is amazing,” said Lansman. “It helps the community completely.”
There’s still a little work to be done to finish upgrading the pool. They will be installing some new lights some time later this summer.
