Extreme weather delays Winfield pool opening by a year

WINFIELD – It was a hot and dry summer for the residents of Winfield as they continued to wait for their community pool to be completed.

Construction of the pool, which began earlier this year, was repeatedly halted due to bad weather conditions. The delays have pushed back the pool's opening to next summer. The city had originally slated the pool to open between Memorial Day and Labor Day this year.

The city's road to a completed community pool has been a process spanning three years. Winfield's community pool was originally operated by the Twin Lakes Country Club before the city took over operations. According to city council meeting minutes, the club approached the city in early 2016 about taking over the pool. If the city chose not to take it over, the pool would be closed. The city subsequently created a committee for the pool project to discuss project ideas and began meeting in April of 2016. Winfield operated the pool for the 2017 summer season before closing it down in the fall of 2018 to begin the process of building the new pool.

Lisa Rees, a deputy city clerk at Winfield's city hall and a board member of the Winfield Community Development Group (WCDG), said the fundraising for the pool took close to two years. The group was able to secure the funds for the pool last fall. The WCDG, a nonprofit that works exclusively to find funding for projects in Winfield and 'is dedicated to making Winfield a better place to live,' is comprised of volunteers from the community.

The group held various community events and applied for grants to acquire funds for the pool. The WCDG received a $7,500 grant from Enhance Henry County Community Foundation in 2017, and another $6,000 grant from the foundation in 2018. The group also received a $50,000 grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation as well as a $175,000 donation from the city of Winfield. The city further provided a $400,000 loan for the project. In total, the WCDG raised $1.5 million for the pool.

The city council began taking bids for the project in July of 2018 and formally awarded the contract to Myers Construction on Aug. 8, 2018. At their meeting on Feb. 6 of this year, the council authorized and approved a loan agreement for the issuance of a $1.3 million pledge/grant note for the project, which allowed construction to begin. While construction of the pool itself was contracted to Myers Construction, city employees took on the construction of the bath house, which further helped cut costs.

The city had hoped to complete the project in time to open for a couple late-summer weekends, but nature got in the way. Winfield Mayor Chris Finnell pointed to the particularly harsh winter and wet spring that contributed to major construction delays. Extreme weather prohibited concrete for the foundation of the pool to be laid properly, requiring extra time. A construction worker on the site described the past spring as 'complete hell' for construction.

'We've hit a couple snags along the way. Currently, we're dealing with three phase power panels,' Finnell said. The power panels that were installed in the pool, which run the motor and pumps, were an older model that the local utility company no longer used. New panels are currently being put in place.

But despite the delays, Mayor Finnell says the community is excited for the pool.

'People have been really understanding and patient. They know there's nothing we could've done because it's weather … overall, people have been very supportive. There's been some disappointment but there are also a lot of excited people,' Finnell noted.

The new pool, which is located at 407 North Clark St., includes a waterslide and play area for kids. Mayor Finnell sees the amenity as a great addition for the community. Ultimately, the pool was constructed with residents in mind.

'Gator is a pool game that's pretty big here and we made sure the design of the pool to accommodate it … We get a lot of curious and excited onlookers at the construction site,' Finnell concluded.