Swimmers invited to Franklin Community Park pool
Get your swimsuits ready. Franklin Community Park will celebrate the coming warm weather by opening its public pool Saturday.
“We’ve been working really hard to get everything ready to open the pool, and we’re very excited,” said park manager Margaret Franks.
Franks said the pool will be open seven days a week from noon to 8 p.m.
The pool will remain open through Sept. 1.
The community park – which, in addition to the pool, includes a picnic area with pavilions, a volleyball court and a baseball field – is located at 115 Warchol Road in Vanderbilt, about two miles from the intersection of Route 51 and Route 201.
Franks said a five-member recreation board has overseen activities as the park since Franklin Township purchased the property in July.
Previously named the Curfew Recreation Center, the park was owned by Curfew Grange 1052 before being bought by the township.
Curfew Grange is one of several local granges in Fayette County overseen by the Pennsylvania State Grange, which is, according to its Web site, “a family fraternal organization dedicated to the betterment of rural America through community service, education, legislation and fellowship.”
Financed with money generated locally, Curfew Grange decided to sell the park after financial problems left the organization $30,000 in debt.
Township supervisors held a public meeting in February after several residents approached the supervisors and asked them to do something in an attempt to save the recreation center.
About 50 residents attended the public meeting and unanimously agreed that the township should purchase the park. Supervisors previously said the sales agreement stated that the township would absorb the grange’s debt and pay $600 for an appraisal.
In May 2007, after months of negotiations, grange members met and voted to sell the recreation center to the township.
The park was sold to the township in July for $21,332, according to the Fayette County Assessment Office’s Web site.
The assessment office has the park valued at $153,720.
The clubhouse, which houses bathrooms and changing rooms; the pool; a miniature golf course; four pavilions; and two utility sheds are valued at $105,220. The property, where the park is located, is valued at $48,500.
After the township took ownership, Franks said the recreation board decided to have the miniature golf course removed because it was difficult to maintain and is in poor condition.
Franks said workers also are working to clear some of the land that had become overgrown.
“We’ve really been trying. We’re working very hard,” she said.
Franks said the recreation board hopes the community will take an interest in the park.
“Probably only about 1 percent of our members are from the township. Everyone else is from other communities,” she said, noting that several families, sports teams and community groups rent the pavilions for parties.
Franks said a family membership cost $175 a year, which covers everyone who resides in the household.
Adult memberships for anyone older than 13 are $50 a year, while memberships for children ages 6 through 12 are $40 a year.
Likewise, Franks said a one-time admission is $6 a day for adults and $4 a day for children. Children younger than age 5 are free.
Franks said a parent or guardian must accompany children younger than 13 to be allowed entrance to the pool.
When the pool closes for the season, workers will begin renovations to give the pool area a theme park inspired d?cor complete with water slides and sprinklers, Franks said.
“Right now, we’re in the process of trying to secure grants to pay for the renovations,” she said. “We’re anxious about the future. Things are looking good.”
For more information about the pool or Franklin Community Park, call the park office at 724-529-0318.