The board members of Bouquet Park Pool were frantically trying to sell memberships so they could open the pool this year, but the spread of covid-19 will close the pool for the season and perhaps permanently.
The private, nonprofit community pool in Springdale Township has operated since 1965. In recent years, its board struggled to collect enough members to keep the pool financially afloat.
“Due to the exceptional circumstances we are facing with covid-19, and paid memberships lagging behind the 250 needed to move forward, the Bouquet Park Pool Board has made the very difficult decision to close the pool indefinitely,” the board posted on the pool’s Facebook page Friday.
Board members had said operating costs increased over the years while memberships dwindled. Its annual operating budget of about $75,000 has been raised through membership fees and fundraisers.
This year, the board sponsored registration and other events to boost membership and was trying to close a 100-member gap to pay to open the pool this year.
Promised memberships never came in the mail recently as covid-19 started to spread, according to pool board member Kellie Vergerio of Springdale.
“Without knowing how long this (covid-19) is going to go on, we don’t know when the summer season will start,” she said.
“Social distancing could go on for months,” Vergerio added.
Planning to open for just half of a season isn’t going to work, she said.
The board plans to dissolve the business, Vergerio said. But when is uncertain, as services for such legal proceedings are shut down, she added.
Those who paid for 2020 memberships will receive full refunds, Vergerio said. No checks have been cashed nor payments deposited, she added.
Residents can contact the pool board via Facebook and email at bouquetparkpool@gmail.com.
