Cressona Pool Won’t Open in 2025

The Cressona Pool will not open this year.

But borough officials say that its closure this year does not signal the demise of the pool.

In a unanimous action Monday night, Borough Council members voted to keep the public swimming pool closed in 2025 so they have time to plan for costly repairs and, most importantly, secure funding for the project.

“I don’t want this to be an end,” Cressona Council President Linda Walinsky said. “It’s not the end. It’s a beginning.”

Costly Repairs

On Monday, council members learned that repairs to open the pool will cost at least $166,000. Right now, Cressona has about $40,000 budgeted for pool expenses in 2025.

Even the promise of a $70,000 donation from Blue Mountain Recreation Commission and the offer of a no-interest loan from the organization couldn’t convince Cressona council members that it was prudent to move toward opening the pool this year.

At Monday’s meeting, council members heard from Josh Semanco, the Blue Mountain Recreation Commission Director, who went over an estimate of $138,000 from a company that could provide some of the necessary repairs to the Cressona Pool.

That estimate mostly covers the drainage system and skimmers, which were damaged when the pool heaved over the winter.

Cressona Public Works Supervisor Frank Killian expressed some concerns with the estimate and doesn’t believe the price quoted will cover the work needed. Additionally, Killian believes the cost to repair the pool completely will likely cost significantly more, closer to $200,000.

In addition to the drainage repairs, the pool also needs a new well pump and filtration pump. Together, those will cost nearly $30,000 more.

And Killian believes that an inaccurate estimate will result in change orders as repairs get underway and those, he says, will drive up the cost. Council members were inclined to trust Killian’s opinion on this.

Not Enough Time

Walinsky didn’t mince words following a discussion of the repairs needed at the Cressona Pool and the cost to make those fixes.

“Obviously, we don’t have this money,” she said Monday.

The borough has, at best, just one-quarter of the money needed to make the necessary repairs.

Blue Mountain Recreation Commission Board President Wayne Bowen told council members that an unofficial meeting was held prior to Cressona’s council meeting and he felt comfortable making the donation and loan offer.

However, even that wasn’t enough to convince Cressona council members to move forward.

For starters, Borough Solicitor Eric Prock expressed concerns about the terms of the would-be offer. Nothing could be agreed to without a firm offer in hand, he said.

Council members also worried that any decision made right now would be rushed, that repairs done in haste to get the pool open for 2025 would just serve as a Band-Aid.

With more time, Cressona officials believe they can get a more accurate bid for the work that’s needed and also give themselves time to apply for grants and find other funding sources to make the necessary repairs.

That funding, they hope, will come, at least in part, from other municipalities whose residents use the Cressona Pool. Last month, it was revealed that in 2024, only 14% of gate receipts collected came from Cressona residents.

Bowen, who also serves as a North Manheim Township Supervisor, said he’s going to approach his fellow board members about a contribution to the project later this month.

“I just think we need time,” Walinsky said. “We need more time to do diligence. I don’t want this to be an end. We can’t open it this year, but we’re committed to future planning of the pool.”

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