With summer just around the corner, most of the community pools in Schuylkill County are set to open.
This weekend, the Minersville Community Pool and the Tri-Valley Community Pool will kick off the season.
A number of others are slated to open June 2, including Cressona Borough Pool, the Howard D. Buehler Memorial Pool in Tamaqua, the Porter/Tower Swimming Pool in Tower City and Pottsville JFK Pool.
Meanwhile, the Tremont Community Swimming Pool will open June 4 and the Saint Clair Pool will open June 16.
Frackville Borough has not announced when it will open its pool. A special public meeting on the matter will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, borough Councilwoman Karen Domalakes said Wednesday.
"We haven't hired the lifeguards yet but we've already hired a pool manager, Alison Kline, who managed it two years ago," Domalakes said.
Last year, the borough leased its pool complex at Memorial Park to Neptune Pool Management Inc., Wilmington, Del. Since then, the borough has parted ways with Neptune, according to Domalakes.
"Neptune requested that we pay for things outside of the contract, including proposed repairs. We couldn't verify if we needed them. And the contract called for Neptune to be responsible for repairs and utilities and they were requesting that the borough be responsible for those things," Domalakes said.
In response, Albert Lasavage, Wilmington, Del., Neptune's president, said last year the council promised to make improvements to the facility but hadn't.
"Everything was supposed to be in 100 percent working condition and it never was. We never got a water meter for the pool, or an electrical meter, and we were paying for the electric and the water. And there was a leak in the pool all year round," Lasavage said.
Despite the troubled economy, admission fees have stayed at last year's levels at the county's community pools, except for the Saint Clair Pool.
Neptune has recently signed a lease agreement to manage the Saint Clair Pool, owned by the Borough of Saint Clair.
"We just have to prepare the pool for the opening," Lasavage said of the June 16 date. "There will be a lot of fun and excitement and a carnival atmosphere, with a whole new concession stand, volley ball, ping pong, horseshoes and more."
Last year, admission rates at the Saint Clair Pool were students grades 1 through 12, $2; adults, $3.50; non-swimmers, $1; pre-school age 3 to 5, $1. This year, under Neptune's managment, there will be one rate for all ages, $3.50 on weekdays and $4 on weekends, Lasavage said.
Neptune will also manage the Mount Carmel Community Pool, owned by the Borough of Mount Carmel in Northumberland County, also opening June 16, Lasavage said.
In the city this week, workers were making "close to $5,000" in repairs to the smaller wading pool at JFK Recreation Complex, City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar said Wednesday.
The city operates two public swimming pools at the complex at Railway Park. A 572,000-gallon pool installed in 1965, and the 3,500-gallon wading pool installed in 2000, replacing an older one.
"When it was first installed, there were tiles on the walls of the smaller pool. Over the years from the freeze and thaw of the winter, they popped off. And every other year they'd have to be replaced. So we decided to take those off," said Daniel E. Kelly, city superintendent of streets.
Boyer Pools sealed the interior of the smaller pool with plaster and plans to paint it, Kelly said. The funding for the repairs comes out of the city's general fund, Palamar said.
Starting June 2, the pool will be open daily noon to 7 p.m.
The city will hold its traditional splash parties at JFK Pool every Tuesday, from 7 to 10 p.m., from June 5 to Aug. 20. Admission is $3.50 for the general public.
Among the activities slated at JFK Pool this season is a new "Lifeguard Certification" class to be held from June 11 to 22. It is run by JFK Pool Head Lifeguard Greg Schuettler, Port Carbon, an American Red Cross Water Safety instructor.
Meanwhile, a "Junior Lifeguard Training" course will be held from July 9 to 13.
For rates and more information, call 570-622-4299.