Editor's Note: Information updated since published in the newspaper this week.
This past weekend was a scorcher. Kids and parents alike were wishing they could jump into the Eagle Grove Family Aquatic Center to cool off, but due to a mechanical issue, this was not possible. City Administrator Bryce Davis said they are hopeful the problem will be fixed so the facility can open sometime between Thursday and Friday this week.
“In mid-May we began filling the pool…and were actually ahead of schedule to open earlier than ever before,” said Davis.
Then problems struck. When they turned on the recirculation pits (which cleans and recycles the overflow water from the pool), they discovered that after filling for six hours, the pits still wouldn’t go above four feet, so it couldn’t recycle the water. According to Davis, they placed cameras in the pool to look and found five unexpected cracks/breaks in the pipe.
“Since the pool was not filled (closed due to COVID) last summer, it went undetected until we began filling it this year,” said Davis.
The City considered two options, the first being to use a slip line, but that would mean some excavating and a big mess and unsafe conditions for swimmers. The second is grouting, which does not require any tearing up of the concrete. They decided to go with the grout for repairs.
“Contractor availability at this time of year is difficult,” explained Davis as to why the pool has not yet been open.
He is hopeful, however, that it will be open for swimmers, at the very latest, by the end of this week. While the contractor was in town Tuesday, June 8 to begin the work, the paper went to press before the work was done, so you can either drive by the aquatic center to see if it is open, or you can call the pool at 448-4672. Normal pool hours are between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.
