POOL CLOSURE PLOT TWIST: Legion Tells Cressona Council, ‘We Want Our Land Back’

The closure of Cressona Pool in 2025 had an unexpected plot twist Monday evening.

A representative from Cressona American Legion Post 286 told Borough Council members at their meeting Monday that it wants its land back.

Robert Lithgow, the Legion’s Judge Advocate said that since the Borough won’t be using Cressona Pool for more than a year, the Legion has legal right to take back the land it sold to the Borough in 1963.

Recently, Cressona council voted unanimously to keep the popular public swimming pool closed in 2025 while it figures out a way to pay for about $200,000 in necessary repairs.

Lithgow came to Monday’s meeting armed with a receipt, per se, namely a copy of a deed from when American Legion Home Association of Cressona sold the land upon which the pool is located to Cressona Memorial Park Association for $100.

The caveat in that land deal dating back nearly 62 years was that Cressona continuously use the land for public recreational purposes. And if it ceased to be used for that purpose, the Legion could take the land back from the Borough.

Lithgow said it’s the belief of Legion leadership that the deed states the time of inactivity at the pool site must be one year before it can take back the land. However, a review of the deed – provided to The Canary by Lithgow – fails to indicate that once the land has been devoid of recreational activity for a year, the Legion can resume ownership of it. It does indicate that ownership could revert to the Legion.

The deed states: “… so long as the same is used for the purpose of maintaining, promoting, developing and constructing community recreation facilities and upon the cessation of such use, the estate herein granted shall end and the property revert to the Grantor, its successors or assigns, without the necessity of re-entry … .”

Lithgow added that the Legion would choose to permanently close the pool and relocate its headquarters to that land.

When Lithgow told Cressona council members this on Monday, it was clear they were all stunned by what had just been said.

A copy of the deed was handed to Cressona Solicitor Eric Prock, who said he’d review it. Upon an initial glance at it, he, too, saw that it included no timeline for inactivity that would allow the Legion to resume ownership of the land.

Borough council members declined to comment while Prock reviews the deed.

ALSO READ:

• Cressona Pool Won’t Open in 2025
• Public Swimming Pool in Cressona in Danger of Not Opening in 2025
• Minersville Will Offer Local Swimming Discount to Cressona, Schuylkill Haven Residents

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