It is no secret that the Big Sandy City Council has been talking for a few months now about a new swimming pool for Big Sandy. "The Mountaineer" caught up with City Councilman Colby Baumgarn who is the head of the Parks and Recreation committee of the Big Sandy City Council. If there was going to be a new pool, Parks and Recreation would be tied closely to it.
Mountaineer: Where did the idea of a new pool come from?
Colby: the City Council brought up a new pool because of the condition of the old pool. We had put a new liner in the old pool several years ago and the life of that liner is about done. The pumping system is not working like it should either. It is impossible to get the water as clear as it needs to be. The pool was put in around the early 1950's and it has just used up its time.
Mountaineer: Do you think that a new pool is a possibility for Big Sandy?
Colby: I would like to see it but we have a lot to do before we can even consider it. Right now we are just doing the paper work from engineers to see if we could fund a pool or not. Then we will have to have public hearings. We just don't know right now.
Mountaineer: How is Rotary involved in the pool project?
Colby: Rotary is helping pay for a planning grant so our engineers can come up with a plan that will work for us.
Mountaineer: The school seems to be involved. What about their involvement?
Colby: Chances are the new pool will be on school land. We are thinking of one of two locations. One is near the elementary school by the pumping station but it would not be in the way of the ball fields. The other place is close to the cemetery at a place near to the ASCS office on that side of town. We have not checked the soil and looked at possibilities of either location. They are just the two locations that seemed to fit a new pool better than any others.
Mountaineer: Would the pool be indoor or outdoor?
Colby: The pool would be outdoor. Other than being very much more expensive to build, an indoor pool has a much shorter life. Matter of fact it lasts half as long as an outdoor pool. Other than it being an outdoor pool, we would look to the community for what kind amenities we would end up with. I saw a plan where it would be an "L" shaped pool. The short part of the "L" would be a zero entry meaning that even wheel chairs could enter the pool there. The long part of the "L" would be the regulation pool with a deep end. Beside that would be what is presently our spray park. But, here again, it is the community that will ultimately choose the design.
Mountaineer" What will happen to the old pool?
Colby: Nothing. It will be destroyed and made into more park land for that part of Big Sandy or maybe a parking lot.
Mountaineer: We at "The Mountaineer" hear lots of complaints about Big Sandy streets. Can Big Sandy have both a new pool and good streets?
Colby: Yes we can. We just bought $60.000.00 worth of crushed gravel which will go on our streets and make a large improvement. If Big Sandy wants good streets and a great swimming pool, they can have both.
Mountaineer: How would the new pool be paid for?
Colby: We are weighing all of our options as to how we would pay for a new pool. Chances are a new pool is going to be a voted levy to pay for it.
