Peacock Pool officially open for the summer
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on June 17, 2011 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL K. DAKOTA
John Albert stands inside Peacock Pool in Goldsboro. Now filled, the pool opened today at noon after undergoing renovations this year.
Those seeking to beat the heat at city pools this summer will be splashing in freshly renovated pools today.
Peacock Pool opened for the season at noon.
The city spent more than $113,000 on renovations to the facilities at Peacock and Mina Weil pools this year with Community Block Grant funding and is unveiling newly painted bathrooms and new tile at Mina Weil, as well as a pump that senses when chlorine levels are low and automatically kicks on to restore the water to appropriate levels.
Mina Weil is still awaiting inspection due to a leak last week and is expected to open next week. Peacock, however, passed with no demerits and a perfect health inspection score, Parks Superintendent John Albert said, a first for the city.
Interim Parks and Recreation Director Sherry Archibald said the renovations for the two pools, both more than 30 years old, were long overdue. Peacock pool received a $62,000 face lift while Mina Weil pool's renovations amounted to $51,400.
Albert said the painting treatment the pools received this spring should allow them to be used for another 15 to 20 years without painting.
The Goldsboro Family YMCA will continue to staff and run the pools for the city, just as it has for about a decade. Chief Executive Officer John Richards said the YMCA has had a great relationship with the city's parks and recreation department.
"Usage has been up every year," he said, noting that last year's revenues from usage allowed the YMCA to return about $3,000 of the city's payment to cover any losses. The city pays $15,000 for the organization to provide lifeguards, technicians and other staff for the pools.
Richards attributed the increase in usage to free swim lessons, which get more citizens acclimated to being in the water.
"There are a lot of folks, especially in these areas, that just don't understand swimming," he said, and the lessons allow those who have never swam before to feel comfortable in and around the water.
And while YMCA members can visit the pools as part of their membership, Richards stressed that the public pools are open to everyone and that the reasonable costs allow for a low-expense way to stay cool this summer.
The pools are open through Sept. 5, from noon until 6 p.m. daily. Daily fees are $2 for children and $4 for adults and are payable onsite.
Passes for the pool can be purchased at Herman Park Center on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. City residents younger than 18 years old can get a summer pass for $25 and non-residents pay $35. Adult passes are $35 for city residents and $45 for non-residents. Discounts are available for children who receive reduced or free lunch.