by Bea Peterson
At noon on Saturday, June 20, the Weir Reynolds Community Pool reopened with an official ribbon cutting ceremony. Hoosick Town Supervisor Mark Surdam welcomed the large crowd that turned out for the event. He thanked everyone involved in the restoration of the beautiful pool, especially Richard Laberge and other members of The Laberge Group and the William L. Watson Co., that rebuilt the pool. [private]“I would not hesitate to recommend Watson to anyone,” he said. Laberge, who was there with his family, said it was wonderful to work with the Town Board who, he said, wanted the project to be done right.
Surdam expressed that thought as well. “A sonar scan showed the base of the pool was structurally sound,” he said. “It was done right the first time and we wanted to follow in their footsteps. It was a good decision and we hope it will last another 50 years.”
The pool opened for the first time on July 8, 1967. Involved with the pool in 1967 and on hand Saturday were Town Historian and fund raiser Phil Leonard and Don Bradley of Bradley Electric, the company that did the electrical work both times. Leonard said the original pool was a community project, with generous donations and many many small contributions. Leo McGuire recalled having a lemonade stand to raise money. His Mom, Isabel, said the kids made $6 with that stand. Not bad, considering the pool and pool and bath houses cost $67,000 at that time.
This time around, the cost for the pool alone was estimated at $673,800, though Surdam believes the project came in a little under budget, though he doesn’t have the final figures yet. Improvements to the pool house and pump house won’t begin until this fall and will be an additional cost, though grant money from NYS Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites will cover most of the work.
Supervisor Surdam also expressed his appreciation to Tom Margiotta for his invaluable assistance throughout the pool project. Margiotta is an authority on pools for NYS Parks and Recreation. Surdam also thanked Bill Shiland and the Highway Department for their backup and maintenance work at the pool and he especially thanked Nug Yavenski for being the Town’s pool operator. “Nug spends countless hours testing the water to see that it is right,” he said.
Last year the pool was closed for the season and rebuilding work didn’t begin until September. Repairing the pool included demolition and removal of the former pool and installation of a “pre-sloped polyester polymer concrete trench drain and grate, including connection to the catch basin, main pool drain reconstruction and grates, expansion joint construction, lifeguard chairs, hand rails, fixed chair lift that is ADA compliant, a diving board, cement based smooth troweled pool finish, reinforced concrete deck and equipment pads, treated pool water and chemistry, ceramic tile, grout, mortar, sealants and a complete continuous gutter system.” It’s all there now and it looks spectacular.
Ribbon Cutting
Recreational Director Kaila Matatt and former Recreational Director Leo McGuire were asked to cut the ribbon to open the pool. McGuire, who served as Town Recreation Director and Swim Instructor/Life Guard Trainer for years began working with the Town Youth Center in 1975. “The Town started running the pool in 1986 or ’87,” he said. He wanted to extend a special thanks to those who served before him, Gil Gilcrest and Ken Baker, for their direction and guidance. Matatt, in turn, was pleased to say she had been trained by McGuire. “Often, when a problem comes up I ask myself what would Leo do… and then I know what to do.”
New Programs
Matatt added there are several new programs this year including free Yoga and Aerobic classes two evenings a week and a toddlers program scheduled for August as well as Summer Camp and Swimming Lessons. Check the Town website for more information on pool fees and hours.
Slide Fund
Surdam is hoping a community effort will take place to see that a slide is installed at the pool. That cost was removed from the bidding process as estimates ranged in price from $20,000 to $30,000. Last year the Town Board accepted a donation of $1,590 from the 50 years and over graduates of the Walter A. Wood High School and the money was put in a Reserve Fund called the Hoosick Pool New Slide Fund. The Town of Hoosick Lions Club has offered to spearhead a fund raising drive, but it was suggested they wait until the pool and bath houses are repaired.
New Views
Not only is the pool lovely to look at, but there are picnic areas to sit in and a new chain link fence that makes the pool visible from the castle playground and makes the playground visible from the pool area as well. The Hoosick Falls Kiwanis Club will lead fundraising to improve the castle playground.