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Council decides swimming pool will open June 15

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By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany city council members announced news at Monday night’s meeting that many have been anxiously awaiting – the pool at Webb Park will open on June 15.

Although capacity is limited to 50 percent until further notice, city officials do not expect that to be a real problem, at least not until the ResourceCare Day Camp gets underway July 6.

City manager Billy Holson said that full pool capacity is 245, so at 50 percent, 122 swimmers and accompanying adults will be allowed inside the gates.

“We’ve never had that many at a time,” said Holson, “and if we get to that number, we will have to turn people away.”

Because Shackelford County has had fewer than five positive COVID-19 cases, Holson and Albany mayor Susan Montgomery feel that the next phase of Gov. Abbott’s plan to reopen the state will allow the percent to go to 75 and maybe even 100 by the time Day Camp starts next month.

After some discussion, council members decided that the pool will be open to all visitors, not just Shackelford County residents.

Holson said that lifeguard certification classes are scheduled later this week, and about 16 local students will be ready to go to work at the pool on Monday.

Jennifer Bowman and Dakota Fowler have agreed to co-manage the facility.

Bowman said Tuesday afternoon that the workers are cleaning, painting, and making some updates this week to get ready for the opening. The staff will disinfect before opening every day, as well as before the evening parties, she said.

Council members agreed to some schedule changes at the pool, including closing two weeks earlier than usual on Aug. 2, mainly because many of the teenage lifeguards have other obligations by then, such as sports workouts.

They also voted that there would be no parties scheduled on Thursdays, with two two-hour party time slots on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and one time slot on Tuesdays after family night and on Sundays. 

The motion to open the pool also included a 50-person limit at all parties, and was approved by all five council members.

Coronavirus Grant

Holson explained that the federal government has allocated the City of Albany a maximum of $108,515 for reimbursement of expenses connected with the coronavirus pandemic, although he expects to only be eligible for about half that amount.

A resolution was passed allowing the city administrator to apply for the grants through the Coronavirus Relief Fund.