Jan 27, 2012
LE ROY — The goal all along has been simple.
“We wanted something for kids to do,” said Tom Spadaro, owner of S&S Limousine.
Goal achieved, he said.
The Le Roy Community Pool will re-open this summer, two years after the Village Board abruptly shut down the pool and the mayor said “We’re not going to open it ever again. It is closing completely.”
He was right. The village is not re-opening the much-maligned pool.
That will be done by a group of volunteers, LeRoy Community Pool Committee and the Town Board.
After a series of meetings in December it was decided that the village would “lease” the pool and its buildings to the town at no cost.
The committee would be responsible for making improvements to the pool.
According to some terms of the lease:
— The village would pay the town $11,000 a year for such things as utilities, chemicals, maintenance and repairs.
— The town would be responsible for organizing swimming instructions; recreational swimming; staffing for instruction; lifeguards; and supervision of swimmers from other community recreation programs.
— Volunteers will undertake the majority of work needed to get the pool and buildings up to code, to the specifications of Genesee County Health Department.
— The town will pay all insurance premiums.
— The town will set all fees for lessons and use of the pool and retain all revenue from those fees.
The lease agreement came after two years of wrangling among village and town officials and a contingent of citizens who wanted to re-open the pool.
The village shut down the pool after the 2008 season and announced it closed for good in February 2009, citing costs of more than $400,000 to repair the pool and surrounding buildings.
Attorney Michael Welch approached the board a year later, saying the pool could be repaired for $25,000.
Spadaro, one of four main organizers of Le Roy Community Pool Committee, said the group has “verbal” commitments for donations of $30,000 to $40,000.
The group plans on having fundraisers and a volunteer recruitment beginning in April.
He said repair work should be done in May, with the pool ready to open in June.
“We have enough money to make the pool acceptable to the county,” he said. ‘We’re going to supply free labor and donations to keep this pool and recreational activities for the kids going. We’re hoping that if this summer is anything like the last summer, we’ll have a good showing.”
People can make donations by contacting Patty Canfield at Town Hall.
