By MATT PIKE
Work is being done at the Savannah Aquatics Center to get the pool prepared for its opening in just over two weeks during Memorial Day weekend, with things still on track to open on time.
Savannah Aquatics Center Manager Diane Gould says things are moving right along to be ready for that Memorial Day weekend opening
"That's actually whenever we open on a normal year, so for us to still have the goal and for it to be looking good that we're going to be opening on May 23rd, we're just super excited that we haven't hit any bump big enough to knock us off that path," Gould tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
Gould says the project to get the pool ready has been an enormous project, where no stone has been left unturned.
"Almost everything is being replaced, everything is brand new, we've got new deck, we've got new pumps, we've got new paint everywhere, we've got new fencing, we've got a new party area, we're getting all new furniture, everything," Gould explains. "If you weren't a part of taking it from old to new, you would walk by and think that it's a brand-new facility."
Gould says everything to get the pool ready has fallen into place beautifully, from the community support to the different tradesmen within the community stepping up to use their skills to help bring the project to life.
With the many coming to the pool in the hot summer months, one aspect peeople may be excited for, Gould says, is some new shading.
"We put a lot of resources into purchasing three really large shade sails so it's going to be a more welcoming environment for grandparents, or families with small children, because there's going to be places where they can get out of the sun and cool off, so I think that's going to be really good for a lot of our patrons," Gould says. "Then we added some basketball, and we added a private party area."
The private party deck can be rented out for birthday parties and is separated from the crowds of people using the pool, where before parties were mixed in among everyone else.
Going from the pool being shut down, to plans of building a new facility, to now revamping the current facility, Gould says emotionally she anticipates she'll feel like her cup is running over more than she's felt in her life come opening day.
"I think that there are so many kids that left last year devastated, like in tears that their favorite place, the one social gathering place that we had in our community that was going away," Gould emotionally says. "But then when they come back and they're sprinting in and doing their cannonballs and greeting their chums, their pool friends, it's just going to be overwhelming to me."
The Savannah Aquatics Center is set to open on May 23rd.
Interview with Diane Gould
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.