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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
From 1931 to 2025, Marengo keeps families swimming
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MARENGO — Finally. After years of planning and preparing, Marengo has a new aquatic center to use for years to come.
The pool opened for three days last weekend and will open for the summer this weekend. A ribbon-cutting is planned for Saturday, May 31, at the pool at 1275 Marengo Ave.
Special thanks are due to the many who labored on this effort for years and to everyone who gave financially to see this come to fruition — both businesses and individuals.
The first Marengo pool
Prior to the 1930s, Marengoites enjoyed their water fun in Bear Creek and the Iowa River. During those years many drownings occurred in these waters, and a local business owner determined to make swimming safer for all.
Stelios P. “Steve” Chimpanis owned and operated the Candy Kitchen on the south side of the city park and was the commander of the Marengo American Legion when he suggested that the Legion should build a wading pool for the young children of the community.
His suggestion led to the purchase of a lot east of the Legion Hall in Marengo and construction of a swimming pool on that land.
Over $6,000 was raised, and the pool opened in June of 1931.
By the 1950s, the pool was being widely used by people from all over the county, as this was the only public swimming pool in Iowa County.
Red Cross swimming lessons were offered, and young people were bused from surrounding communities for several summers to take lessons.
New pool, more amenities
In 1973 the American Legion agreed to give the city the land on which its pool was located, and the city constructed a new pool with more amenities. It opened in 1975.
Eventually the cost of maintenance and repair became too much for the city to bear. The basic infrastructure of the pool needed replaced.
Consultants evaluated the pool and deemed it unfeasible to renovate. A group of concerned parents had earlier formed a Pennies for the Park drive to replace the playground equipment in the city park, and having completed that project, another group stepped forward to continue the drive. This time as Pennies for the Pool.
In the summer of 2010, this group of young mothers (Sarah Gorsch, Heather Keim, Paula Long, Michelle McCord, Tiffany Pedersen, Annie Rabe, Kourtney Rathjen, Sarah Ritter, Candi Schmieder, Holli Schneekloth, and Leanne Slaymaker) approached the City Council with ideas about renovating or replacing the pool.
Pennies for the Pool held various fundraising events and oversaw the operations of the concession stand at the pool for several summers to gather funds. Pennies for the Pool group provided the handicapped lift chair for use at the pool to meet the legal requirements for accessibility.
Yet the pool itself needed much more than repair: the plumbing system was old, the floor of the pool was cracking and there were continued issues.
A summer without a pool
In 2020 the pool was closed for public use, and residents continued their search for a way to replace the pool.
Pennies for the Pool raised $30,000 which was given to the City for the new pool. Robert “Bud” and Georgia Van Scoyoc Johnson offered $250,000 toward the construction of a new pool, and later, as more funds were needed, pledged an additional $500,000 for the pool.
Georgia Van Scoyoc Johnson was raised in Iowa County, graduated from Iowa Valley High School in 1964 and worked in this community for many years.
Girls’ Basketball fans will recall her years of playing basketball for Iowa Valley.
With the generous offer coming from the Johnsons, optimism grew in the community for the construction of a new facility.
In August of 2021, a public meeting with the City Council of Marengo was held in the Courthouse Annex. More than 70 people enthusiastically urged the city council to move forward with a bond referendum vote and Marengo Pool Committee was formed to begin realistic planning.
A cluster of grandmas, many of whom “lived” at the pool when they or their children were growing up and who wanted their grandchildren to enjoy these same experiences, formed the Pool Pals.
This group (composed of Rosi Disterhoft, Sari Hacker, Margaret Johnson, Barbara McMeen, Lou McMeen, Robbie Probasco-Ford, Barbara Roggentien, Becky Schmuecker and Courtney Stubblefield) made every effort to promote the bond vote with yard signs, newspaper inserts and fliers at school sporting events.
In September of 2022, the bond referendum passed with an overwhelmingly 73% positive vote. A site had been located for the construction, and the Pool Pals worked with the City’s appointed committee to begin consulting efforts on the design and amenities.
They applied for grants, oversaw the surveying for the proposed site, and worked to design the structure. Grants were obtained from the Iowa County Community Foundation, Enhance Iowa—CAT Grant, and the Blaine Fund.
Banks and major businesses stepped forward with funding. Families, former Marengo residents, school alumni and individuals gave generously to keep the project moving forward.
The Pool Pals launched various fundraisers to create awareness and encourage donations — luncheons, rummage sales, pet photos, quilt raffles, purse-palooza, painting of tiger paws on driveways, a fashion show and bake sales.
A new aquatic center
The ground-breaking for the new pool took place in November of 2022.
JEO Consulting Group worked diligently with the committee, and Portzen Construction, Inc. of Dubuque was contracted to do the building.
Consideration of the water table in the Marengo community was a critical factor during the construction. That factor eliminated any thoughts of a deep diving pool, so other amenities had to be considered for the enjoyment of the Marengo community.
Throughout the construction period, that water table often affected the progress, a factor which all Marengoites who have lived in the community for years clearly understand.
In the summer of 2024, several Marengo youth worked at the Williamsburg Aquatic Center to prepare themselves for the opening of this Marengo facility.
With the generous pledge from the Johnsons, the bond vote authorizing the issuance of $3.8 million by the city, the seed money from the Pennies for the Pool Committee, nearly $300,000 in grants, and generous donations from businesses and individuals amounting to well over $1 million, the Marengo Aquatic Center is now a reality.
The total cost was $5.2 million.
Compass Memorial Healthcare has contracted with the city to donate $50,000 annually for five years toward the maintenance and operation of the Aquatic Center.
Under this agreement, that donation of money cannot be used for any other purpose by the city than that of maintaining the Aquatic Center.
Special thanks to attorney Lou McMeen for his financial and administrative guidance through this entire process.
