War Memorial Pool 7/5/12
UPDATE (4:45 PM). Okay, it's finally official. Because you can now read the official press release on the town website. About time!
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The War Memorial Pool looked ready for a refreshing dive (not that they have a diving board of course) around 5:00 PM this afternoon. Buoys are out, water is clear, new fencing is up all around and the concrete looks uniformly cured. Probably will not open tomorrow, but if town officials wish to reclaim some badly needed credibility then Saturday is a must.
Let's hope they do not wait until 5:00 PM tomorrow to make the announcement.
Meanwhile the "South East Street Massacre" continues unabated. Main Street/Pelham Road is next, and the trees are already starting to quiver.
Since our area does not have underground power lines, something has to give. Unfortunately, it's the trees. I do not want to be without power again like that if it can be helped.
ReplyDeleteNow if WEMCO/Asplundh would only cut down all those pine trees on South Pleasant Street that are on Amherst College property. THOSE created a real mess. I know, since I had to drive around the branches they dropped on my way home from work the night of the storm.
Ancient Irish wisdom: "All things in moderation."
ReplyDeleteThere, Helen said it - underground power lines. Instead of re-acting to downed power lines by what feels like wanton clear cutting why not put some of the effort into establishing underground lines in areas deemed essential during hazardous weather occurrences? Disclosure:commenter has large, old, street maple, keeping Main Street home cool.
ReplyDeleteThe 1st session of town swimming lessons for kids ends tomorrow and the next session starts up on July 16th. The lessons are M-F 5-7 pm at both pools. Next week there are no lessons. When I was swimming today, I asked if the pools would be open to the public next week during that time since there aren't lessons. The answer was no, that that time will be for lifeguard inservice activities (still not sure what those are... ) and that the pool will still have its regular schedule and then open again each day from 7 pm - 8 pm. Not sure who decided on this plan, but it doesn't seem particularly logical or convenient in my mind. If the pools were open those extra hours, my family and many others would use them then.
ReplyDeleteIt's impressive how far the War Memorial Pool has come in the last two weeks. I can't wait for it to open.
ReplyDeleteWhen you think about how little the pools are open just for the general public (not lap swimming or lessons) it's a wonder that anyone buys a summer long pool pass.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was surprised at how expensive they are considering the alternatives (Puffers Pond, Hampshire Athletic Club, etc).
ReplyDeleteyes...it is very expensive to use our pools and take lessons.....larry you should check out other town's and city's web sites...chicoppee family pool pass $12.00 season...springfield very inexpensive......to bring a family of 4 to our pools for a day can run up to $20.00.including the snacks kids want..so i thought we added the extra pool for the low income families....can these families really afford season or daily passes???did they ask for the extra pools or did town meeting, in their infinite wisdom just conclude that without looking at admission fees the costly season pass???
ReplyDeleteThe State Parks (DAR, Lake Wyola, etc.) are also great places to swim and a state parks pass costs just $35 for the year and is free for people age 62 and over. I was at DAR on the Fourth of July, since the Mill River pool didn't open for open swim until 1 pm, and the swimming areas there were packed.
ReplyDeleteA family summer pass for the Amherst pools is $209. Ouch!
just called the War Memorial phone # and learned that the pool will be open this Sunday (!) from 10 am - 6 pm. The pool will have open swim the whole day and it will be free for all. Please spread the word! The town hasn't done much to advertise this, (even the LSSE main office didn't know).
ReplyDeleteGazette article for publication tomorrow says the WM pool will be open Sun 10-6, not 10-3 (and if the paper says it, it must be true, right? :))
ReplyDeletehttp://www.gazettenet.com/2012/07/07/amherst039s-war-memorial-pool-finally-opens-sunday-free-swimming-offered-all-day
I just called Ms. Desmarais back and she once again confirmed 3:00 PM, closing and said that came directly from Aquatic Director Barb Bilz and it's written on "the board" (which has gotta be the same as written in stone).
ReplyDeleteThe pool closes at 3PM? Only open for 5 hours? What's the use of that?
ReplyDeleteStephanie O'Keeffe just tweated the 6:00 PM closing.
ReplyDeleteI replied asking her to get an "official" press release up on the town website with confirmed hours.
Stay tuned.
LSSE really needs to get a little more organized.
ReplyDeleteStephanie just tweated back, confirming 6:00 PM closing. Since she's chair of the Select Board, I'll take that as gospel.
ReplyDelete6:00 PM it is.
The town's press release says the "wading pool at Community Field will open soon." That makes it sound like the wading pool will not be open this Sunday. Why the delay?
ReplyDeleteSun got in their eyes? (you know how they love the weather excuse).
ReplyDeletei created the plans for the renovation of that pool right before i left DPW... hope you like the sun shades! good to know they finally finished it, only wish I was back there to use it.
ReplyDeleteWar Memorial wading pool is still dry. It's definitely not opening Sun.
ReplyDeleteIt is astonishing how it's like pulling teeth to actually get into these pools!
ReplyDeleteHours are SO limited, one just assumes it's closed or not actually available to swim in because of one thing or another.
Such a waste!
---OPEN THEM--- 9AM TO 6PM, JUNE 1st TO SEPT 31ST.
NO EXCUSES.
That's how to build loyalty and confidence in people that they will actually find them open and available to use when they go.
That's how to get our money's worth out of them!!!
-Amherst Parent
In FY 2009 (the latest numbers I found on the town web site), LSSE sold 122 passes for the town pools. It's not very many for a town of this size, plus I'd expect the number of passes has gone down since then.....
ReplyDeletethough maybe, just maybe, with the pool reopening and if LSSE revises its pool hours and membership fees to better serve residents, those numbers can improve.
It would also help greatly if they did some PR/advertising.
ReplyDelete