An Augusta County group determined to re-open a pool at Grand Caverns received approval from its Town Council to move forward with the procurement process.
Now, the Grottoes Pool Preservation Foundation is ready to get repair work under way.
On Friday, a special meeting will be held for the Grottoes Town Council to vote on proceeding with a bid received for the work.
The foundation has the funds to pay for the current quote to repair the pool expansion joint issue and pressure test all the lines, according to Maite Taylor, president of the foundation and a member of the Grottoes Planning Commission.
Taylor said the foundation has also raised funds to do additional exploratory work to ensure there are no other issues that need to be addressed before the pool could re-open to the community.
The Town Council voted to permanently close the pool in 2023. The pool had been in operation at Grand Caverns for more than five decades.
The Town Council pointed to issues with the expansion joint and staffing shortages as the impetus to permanently close the community pool. Councilors said at the time that repairs could cost $200,000.
The community pushed back pointing to $300,000 in renovations that had recently been completed to add swim lanes, a kid area, mushroom water features for a splash zone and a large walk-in entrance.
The foundation wants to be a part of a long-term solution for the community pool. After the pool is back open, the group plans to raise additional funds to make improvements to the pool house including a new roof and renovated bathrooms, lifeguard station, ticket booth and snack area.
“We are still fundraising and looking for businesses and private donors for additional repairs that will need done including concrete repairs on the pool deck and renovation to the pool house,” Taylor told AFP.
More information on the effort can be found at www.grottoespool.org
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Crystal Graham
