Commissioners Approve Grants to Aid Area Pools

BELLEFONTE — With summer right around the corner, some area swimming pools will be opening soon. Some, however, are in dire need of repairs. Those pools got some help this week.

During Tuesday’s Centre County Board of Commissioners meeting, county brass unanimously approved American Rescue Plan Grant agreements with the Nittany Valley Joint Authority, the Penns Valley Park and Recreation Board and the Mountain Top Swimming Pool Association.

“These are grant agreements for three different pools that have requested funding for improvements,” explained county administrator John Franek.

The ARPA grant with the Nittany Valley Joint Authority will be used toward the Kepler Pool rehabilitation and improvement project in the amount of $110,000. Bellefonte’s Kepler Pool has been closed for the latest two years.

“The $110,000 is to assist with the grant match requirements of other funding sources that they have secured,” Franek said.

Franek said the massive project involves infrastructure improvements that include decking, chemical systems, bath house, pool amenities, parking and an accessible changing area.

A total of $25,000 will go to the Penns Valley Park and Recreation Board to be used toward capital improvements to the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Park and Pool. The $25,000 will be used for the yearly patching and painting of the pool, concrete decking repair, maintenance of the pump and filtration system and pool lighting improvements.

According to Chair Mark Higgins, the pool is one of Centre County’s “hidden gems.”

“It’s just off (state) Route 45, but you’d never know it’s there,” Higgins said.

Colleen Swetland, president of Penns Valley Parks and Recreation, the organization that manages the pool, talked about the longevity of the facility.

“The pool is about 52 years old. It’s one of the originals,” Swetland said, adding the pool has fallen into disrepair.

“Concrete, as we know, doesn’t have a 100-year life. The concrete is deteriorating (and) the pool is deteriorating. Honestly, baler twine and duct tape is what’s keeping us going, so it needs a lot of repairs,” she said. “It’s almost at its (end of) life. But we think with some additional funding that we can throw at it this year … it will get us through this season and probably next season.”

Commissioner Amber Concepcion had high praise for the pool.

“It’s a great community (pool). It’s someplace for families and kids to gather. It’s just this community center. It’s really critical,” Concepcion said.

Swetland said they would begin to look for some “really large grants” to repair and replace the pool.

Finally, the Mountain Top Swimming Pool Association will receive $25,000 in the form of an ARPA grant. Those funds will be used toward replacement of the diving boards, painting and patching of the large pool and patching of the baby pool.

The Mountain Top Swimming Pool has been in operation for 54 years.

Commissioner Steve Dershem said that, having grown up in the area, he’s been to all three pools.

“People assume that these pools are self-generating money machines. They don’t realize that periodically we need to help them out,” Dershem said.

He also noted that more funding may be available through the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau.

“We have a grant program through (HVAB). That may be a possibility for funding for projects in the future,” Dershem said.

He said pools are critical for a community to thrive.

“We need to get these pools back up. It’s great socialization, recreation and physical fitness — it’s all of those things. Most importantly, it’s just such a community anchor. We need to support it,” Dershem said.

Higgins agreed.

“The commissioners stepped up. … This is vitally important to families, to children, for safety,” Higgins said. “We are in the process of allocating the remainder of our American Rescue Plan funds.”

The BOC will not meet on May 16 due to Election Day.