By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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BELVIDERE — The William Grady Pool, an “iconic” part of Belvidere for more than 80 years, has seen its last swimmers.
The Belvidere Township Park District has decided to permanently shutter the facility at 916 W. Lincoln Ave. due to safety concerns and mounting financial costs stemming from an ongoing and severe leak.
“This year, we tried to carry out one more season,” Jen Jacky, executive director of the park district, said in a statement. “Our whole team worked to get the pool ready, train staff and plan a fun-filled summer in the water but we are faced with being unable to open the pool due to safety concerns stemming from extreme water seepage.”
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Jacky said staff meticulously worked to seal the seams of the pool for this season, but it wasn’t enough. The pool completely drained itself over the weekend after its first week filled. Last year, nearly 2.5 million gallons of water were used to fill the pool throughout the summer, and the pool holds just 500,000 gallons. Already in the first week, more than 1.6 million gallons were used to try to keep the pool filled.
“The issue is much larger than just the seams and instead lies in the plumbing underneath and around the diving well,” Jacky said. “With the water seepage issue, it is now causing air to be pulled from the main drain plumbing, which means that both pumps are unable to run simultaneously and in turn it is impossible to maintain the legal flow rate to provide a safe environment for patrons.”
The pool was built in 1939 and updated about 40 years ago. However, the ongoing maintenance issues meant the pool was losing nearly $2,800 a day in revenue in 2021, according to the park district. “Band-aid” fixes would have cost too much, the district said, and in some instances repair is not an option because of the inability to get parts for aged mechanics.
Some of the items include a filter replacement ($225,000), PVC pool liner ($135,000), pool heater replacement ($60,000), pool pump replacement ($25,000), domestic boiler replacement ($30,000), miscellaneous valve and skimmer repairs ($25,000) and roof repair to the bathhouse ($400,000), according to the district.
“These are the issues that can be visually identified; there most likely are additional issues in the underground piping,” Jacky wrote in an explanation of the decision to close.
She said it was a sad and difficult decision, but one that was made after years of studies, surveys and community recommendations. The most recent aquatic survey showed 86% of respondents felt the pool should be decommissioned.
“For over 80 years, the William Grady Pool has stood as a community flagship and a centerpiece for Belvidere Park,” Jacky wrote. “The iconic facility is a place of wonderful summer memories for generations of the area’s residents and families.”
Jacky said the district will continue to work with taxpayers to decide whether to create a new aquatic recreation option. There are a variety of options that range from smaller features to an updated outdoor pool or a complete indoor aquatic facility. The later of those options is the most expensive at more than $19.4 million.
All pool passholders and those who signed up for swim lesson will be refunded.
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.