Pool Opens for Summer

The Gilmer County Pool opened Saturday after a major repair project.The pool is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 5:30pm and Sundays from 2pm to 5:30pm. Daily admission is 3$; for toddlers, 1$.

We were on hand as the pool opened and will have more to post on it later.

We’ve been following the pool repair project for some time now. Here are a few previous articles we’ve posted on the project:

As we reported last week, the Gilmer County Pool is undergoing repairs. Anyone who has seen the project price tag has to wonder: “What’s wrong with the pool, again?” FYN has spoken with the project contractors to find out just what exactly is being fixed.

Originally, the pool had to be shut down because it wouldn’t hold water. Those familiar with the issue might recall hearing about cracks in the pool floor leading to underground cavities thought to be responsible for the leaks. As Jerry Crane of Sunbelt Pools explained, however, this was not the case. Using sonar equipment, the contractors determined that there were no large underground cavities as had been feared.

What they did find was a compromised plumbing system. Pressure testing and video inspection tools revealed leaks in the aging underground pipe system that fills, drains, and filters the pool water.

As project manager Frank Desantis explained to me, the pool has three pipelines:

• A) The main drain line, which drains water from two drain holes in the deep end of the pool up to the filter house;
• B) The gutter pipe line, which runs along the perimeter of the pool, that drains surface water from the gutter system to the filter house; and
• C) The return line that pumps filtered water back into the pool

As illustrated above, this pipe system is currently being excavated for repairs. As of this week, the contractors have found major leaks in the drain line (A) joints located directly under the pool. The gutter line (B) and return line (C) appear to be intact. When I spoke to Mr. Desantis Monday, he was confident that the pool is leaking only from this pipe system. Nevertheless, fixing a pipe system buried underneath a concrete pool is a major undertaking.

A second issue being tackled by the contractors is an expansion joint on the pool floor near the deep end. The surface of the joint (a feature required to allow any large concrete structure to expand with temperature changes) had cracked, leading some to suspect it was the source of the leaks. Even though Sunbelt discovered that was not the case, the surface cracking and integrity of the joint are problems that must be addressed.

For unknown reasons, the expansion joint had been improperly coated with concrete. Because the concrete layer doesn’t expand and contract with the joint underneath, it has started to crack. Sunbelt plans to remove the concrete layer at the joint and re-install a working expansion joint sealed with a strip of rubber.

Fortunately for Gilmer residents, this isn’t a “Your Tax Dollars at Work” story. The $132,000 job is being funded by a $70,000 grant from the Harrison foundation, as well as other pending grants. FYN will keep our readers up to date on the project and fund raising efforts as they progress.

Today we have an update on Gilmer County’s pool repair project. FYN has spoken with project manager Frank Desantis and fund raising leader Amy Woodring to bring you the latest on the project.

The plumbing system repairs outlined in our previous report have been completed, and the excavated area has been filled back in. Crews are preparing for the removed section of the concrete deck to be re-poured, along with a new concrete pad for the filter system. A new pump and filter system have been ordered.

Repairs of the cracking expansion joint on the pool floor are nearly complete. A new rubber joint has been installed, and will be covered in concrete.

Additional repairs have been underway on the pool’s gutter system. Crews have chipped away concrete adjacent to the gutter along the entire perimeter of the pool. According to Mr. Desantis, welding crews will repair roughly nine cracks located along the gutter.

The financial side of the project is coming along as well. Swim team mom Amy Woodring, who has been heading up efforts to raise money for the project, told me an application is pending for a $20,000 grant by the Lowe’s corporation. Founded in 1957, the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation funds nonprofit organizations and public agencies that support the foundation’s charitable goals. In 2009, the foundation donated $19 million to communities across the U.S.

Other possible avenues for raising the project money include a fundraiser event at the July 24th “Tri The Mountains” triathlon.