Plans to demolish Greenwood pool spark outcry

GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) - Folks in Greenwood aren't happy about the city's decision to demolish its only municipal pool.

The Greenwood Park Board voted on the measure Wednesday night. Board president Mike Sawa said after last August's State Fair tragedy, he thought it would be a good idea to have experts inspect the city's pool, which is more than 50 years old.

An Indianapolis engineering firm was hired and found dozens of problems with the pool's bathhouse. Among their findings: "Large portions of the concrete roof could fall off at any moment."

The report led board members to vote to shut down and demolish the facility.

"We were kind of blindsided by this report that came in and the severity of the report, which basically concluded, for the public's safety, the whole facility should be closed," said Jeff Madsen who works for the Parks Department.

Madsen took 24-Hour News 8 on a tour of the facility and pointed out some of the problems.

“You can see along the edging it's just basically wearing off, eroding, the way dirt would near a creek bank,” he said. “Every year we have to take a hammer and chisel off the loose pieces."

Approximately 30,000 people visit the pool each year. Many families take advantage of the inexpensive swim lessons offered for kids.

"The kids love it. It's great having it there," said Tim Woodcock, who lives adjacent to the pool park.

Woodcock is disappointed with the Park Board's decision to close the facility for good.

"It's part of what makes Greenwood a really great place to be. I don't want to see it go."

He would like to see it fixed up and reopened. He's not the only one.

"We've been getting telephone calls all afternoon from people who have been here long parts of their life. Some people have asked us to have a closing ceremony so they can come here and see it one last time," Madsen said.

There are no plans in the works to build a new city pool. For that to happen, funding would have to come through the Greenwood City Council.