Cressona says it will not willingly give up the land on which its public swimming pool is built.
On Monday, Solicitor Eric Prock said he reviewed deeds related to the pool parcel. And in that review, he said there are no references to the land reverting to the Cressona American Legion if it ceases being used as a pool.
At a Borough Council meeting two weeks ago, Robert Lithgow, the Legion’s Judge Advocate, told members that since Cressona wasn’t opening the swimming pool in 2025, it would sit vacant for a year and by deed, it could revert to the veterans group.
Lithgow presented council with a copy of a 1963 deed in which the Legion sold the land where the pool sits to the Borough. Though that deed didn’t specifically mention a pool or any reference to a one-year timeline, Lithgow said one of his organization’s members indicated there was a document that backed him up.
And because of that and the pool’s closure in 2025, the Legion was going to take its land back and move its headquarters there.
Cressona officials were forced to close the popular swimming pool for 2025 due to the cost of extensive repairs necessary. It’s estimated that it’ll cost $200,000 to make the repairs and Cressona is currently determining how it’ll pay for those repairs.
On Monday, following a closed-door consultation with Borough Council members, Prock said in public that he pulled deeds related to that land.
“Nowhere in any of those deeds can I find any reference to a requirement that we use that parcel as a pool. Nowhere can I find any reference that it reverts to the Legion if it’s not used as a pool for a period of one year,” Prock said.
Instead, Prock said, the deed reads that the land must be used for community recreation purposes, not a pool, specifically. He added that the Borough hasn’t given up on the pool in the future either.
“It’s our position that we haven’t ceased using that property for community recreation purposes. We certainly have not voted to permanently close the pool. In fact, we have taken many steps and taken significant efforts to figure out how we can maintain the pool there,” Prock said.
Further, he said the Borough will fight back against any attempt the Legion makes to reclaim the land it sold back in the 1960s.
“We are prepared to defend our ownership of that parcel if the Legion wants to pursue their position that they are entitled to that parcel,” Prock said. “We don’t believe that they are.”
FULL COVERAGE:
- POOL CLOSURE PLOT TWIST: Legion Tells Cressona Council, ‘We Want Our Land Back’
- Minersville Will Offer Local Swimming Discount to Cressona, Schuylkill Haven Residents
- Cressona Pool Won’t Open in 2025
- Public Swimming Pool in Cressona in Danger of Not Opening in 2025
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!Support Coal Region Canary
Like our reporting and want to support truly local news in Schuylkill County? Your small donations help. For as little as $5, your contribution will allow us to cover more news that directly affects you. Consider donating today by hitting the big yellow button below ...