Goodbye to old city pool

City crews demolished the 1950s-era concession stand at the old municipal swimming pool site at Tom Griffin Park on Nov. 7 and will soon tear out the pool and fill it in, Public Works Director Michael Jacoba said.

City workers made short work of tearing down the old square brick building with a backhoe and piling up the rubble beside the empty pool.

Next, city workers will break up the concrete inside the old pool and kiddie pool and add it to the pile of debris from the concession stand, he said.

Crews then will scoop up the mountain of bricks, concrete and rebar into giant dumpsters that Waste Connections will haul away to comply with state environmental laws, he said.

The Public Works Department will fill the holes with dirt from the excavation of the new pool plus fill dirt, if needed, from the City Convenience Station, Mr. Jacoba said.

The 70-year-old municipal pool was shuttered for good in June 2022 after public works crews discovered cracks in the plaster and structural problems that indicated a possible sinkhole beneath it.

Keep Olney Beautiful and the City of Olney raised funding for a new swimming pool in the center of the park over the next two years from local residents.

The new pool, which features a diving board and slide and a covered area with picnic tables and pool furniture, debuted on July 9.

City leaders have discussed creating a parking lot on the site of the old pool but have not finalized their plans, Mr. Jacoba said.