Committee Approved to Study Belmont Pool
More than a dozen local residents will exchange their thoughts on how to keep the Belmont Complex swimming pool viable for future summer recreation (photo from last week before the Belmont Complex swimming pool opened)
By Jonathan Weaver
Starting next month, 15 local and regional residents will exchange thoughts on the future of the Belmont Complex swimming pool in East Franklin Township.
County Planning and Development Assistant Director Carmen Johnson recommended the community stakeholders during last week’s Armstrong County Commissioners public meeting, and they were unanimously approved.
“The County received a grant from the Department of Community and Natural Resources (DCNR) for a feasibility study of the Belmont pool to determine its long-term viability,” Johnson said. “The grant amount is $30,700, and the County is matching that equally.
“The program guidelines for DCNR require that there be a study committee established to work with the County and a consultant.”
The 15-member committee will include representatives from the Belmont Complex – such as Executive Director Gary Montebell, Belmont Advisory Committee Members Gary Pinkerton and Donald Poorman, and Head Lifeguard Leslie Campbell, as well as Commissioners David Battaglia, Bob Bower and Rich Fink and community representatives in different fields: Armstrong School District Devin Lorigan, Leechburg Pool Manager Dom Guido, the Rev. Geoff Reppard of Mount Union Bible Church in Rayburn Township, emergency medical technician T.L. Ralston, Richard G. Snyder YMCA CEO Joely Beeker, Area Agency on Aging Aging Care Manager Supervisor Dan Shirley, Brady’s Bend Township Secretary Sheila Markel and East Franklin Township Planning Commission Chairman Chris Remaley.
Johnston said a consultant could be hired as early as next month. The feasibility study has been underway at least since July 2014
Commissioner Fink said the committee will collectively be able to make a decision on the Belmont Complex pools future to be able to continue to provide an activity for youth now that school is out.
“I think it’s going to show us some problems and some changes we need to make at the Belmont,” Fink said. “I think when we look at the feasibility, obviously (commissioners) know that’s where we’re spending a lot of money (and) we’re not bringing in the revenue to offset the expenses. This will help us determine, ‘Do we right-size the pool? Eliminate the pool? Put in another type of recreation?’
Campbell, of Ford City, has been a lifeguard since 2005 – ever since she was on the Armstrong YMCA swim team – and thought some additional outdoor attractions would benefit the summer recreation – which opened during the weekend.
“Definitely in the 10 years that I’ve been there attendance has decreased – it’s not what it used to be,” Campbell said. “Something does need to change; we need some kind of revision.”
This summer, Montebell, lifeguards and staff are promoting swimming lessons and emphasize private rental times available at the pool after normal operating hours.
Also a Divine Redeemer School 2nd Grade Teacher, Campbell works 30-40 hours at the pool and oversees 28 other lifeguards. Up to eight lifeguards are on-duty seven-days-per-week.
Shirley, of North Buffalo Township, swims in the Belmont Complex pool yearly with his six grandchildren and swam in the pool as he was growing up.
He wants to make sure his family still has a safe place to go during the summer and also that senior citizens have a place to go with their grandchildren
Local News | jweaver June 11, 2015
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By Just sayin, June 12, 2015 @ 9:33 AM
Where are all the “Boys Club” comments on this wasteful spending of the matching $30,700 from the county during this economic crisis?
By sickofpayingforit, June 12, 2015 @ 11:50 PM
They are right to try and keep Monties open. I am pretty sure time lapse photography would show things like swimming pools and other similair things slowly disappearing in other areas that lost their major manufacturing bases. When something goes around here, it deems to be gone for good. They have to figt this to some extent, no?