SHENANDOAH - Just think of a place where someone can visit and enjoy a restful and beautiful indoor scene of flowers and trees any time of the year. That place will be inside the former J.W. Cooper High School in Shenandoah this year.
The work to convert the swimming pool into a version of an atrium/botanical garden began last week on the second floor as a wood lining was added to the bottom of the pool. With a rubber liner placed Wednesday, dirt and slag stone was delivered by Skytop Coal Company to cover the deeper part of the pool, which was the first indoor pool in a high school constructed in Pennsylvania.
Building owner Kent Steinmetz and Valerie Macdonald, owner of Caledonia Vintage, a business located in the building, worked Wednesday to prepare the pool bottom before the slag delivery.
"This is Valerie's idea - her brainstorm," Steinmetz said. "She was practically like a giddy schoolgirl as they were delivering the dirt. She kept saying something like, 'My plan is finally working.' "
"We had to do something with the pool, so we thought we'd make it into a recreation area for the community where people could come in, sit, have a cup of coffee, enjoy the fish and the trees and the plants we'll be putting in," Macdonald said. "To make it just a nice, cozy area for the community."
Skytop owner Ettore DiCasimirro donated the slag stone, which he delivered with his truck and poured it through a window. After it was placed, DiCasimirro and four men who came with him smoothed the dirt on the bottom. Two loads totaling 13 1/2 tons of slag stone were delivered.
Steinmetz said information on how to plan the project came from Trail Gardens, Cressona, and Penn State Schuylkill Master Gardeners.
The next step is delivery of a one-foot layer, about 400 square feet, of topsoil where the plants will be placed in the pool, which measures 33 feet long and 20 feet wide.
"The trees will be placed at the deeper end," Steinmetz said. "Valerie will plant the rhododendrons, the perennials and annuals on the slope going up the bottom of the pool, and then the fish ponds at the lower end."
Once the topsoil is placed, Steinmetz said the window panes will be put into place.
"There will be park benches and Wi-Fi service," Steinmetz said.
"There will be some bookshelves for people to read here," said Theresa Robel Price, who was visiting with Dianne Dudish, both members of the Class of 76 Adopt A Room Project, which is restoring a classroom in the building.
"There will be three large ponds that will hook together for the fish," Macdonald said. "Once it's done, it will be a beautiful area."
Another part of the project will be the construction of a bridge over the pool area for people to get a different view of the garden and fish ponds. Steinmetz said the bridge will be constructed by contractor Joe Salvadore. A mural along the south wall painted by students is also being considered. There are three built-in ladders in the pool that will become waterfalls, with the water to be recirculated.
Other work includes the women's rest room on the pool level getting a new vanity and mirror and the plumbing has been repaired. The men's rest room on the same level is getting a new sink and stall. Plumbing has already been repaired.
"Our goal is to have a year-round community place to go that will be no charge for admission," Steinmetz said. "We're also have it secure with cameras, like we have in other parts of the building. We want a safe, secure haven. A railing around the pool will be installed."
He said that the mural will be painted as though a lane will continue beyond the bridge, which will provide a backdrop for photos.
"It may not be completed, but people will be able to see what the finished project will be like by the end of the summer," Macdonald said. "There will be enough trees and plants and the fish ponds will be in."