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Washington Evening Journal
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Washington, IA 52353
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Pool manager says first year was ‘great’
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
MARENGO — The Marengo swimming pool had “a great year” in its first year of operation, pool manager Shawn Huedepohl told the city council during a meeting Aug. 27.
Open four days in May, the pool welcomed 641 people that month, said Huedepohl. The fact that admission was free may have helped attendance, he said.
June attendance was 6,061, and 3,154 people were admitted in July. With a little rain and families on vacation, the July drop was reasonable, Huedepohl said.
Open for three weeks in August, the pool saw an attendance of 2,078. The total attendance for the year was 11,934, an average of 140 people a day, said Huedepohl.
The pool made $23,720 at the gate, and season passes amounted to $17,755, a total of $41,475.
Parties were booked every weekend but one, said Huedepohl. The 24 parties brought in $3,650.
Four or five groups from Williamsburg visit the pool, and individuals came from Amana, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Marion to use the new facility.
Concessions brought in $17,500, said Huedepohl. About $5,500 of that was profit.
Huedepohl suggested having pizza at the concession stand next year. Pizza’s a big seller at other pools, said Marengo Financial Manager Ellen O’Rourke.
Powerade didn’t sell well, and Councilman Travis Schlabach suggested donating the leftover drinks to the school.
The pool’s hours were shortened the last few days it was open because lifeguards were involved in school activities, said Huedepohl.
The pool brought in $40,000 more than budgeted, said O’Rourke, but it also spent $53,000 more than estimated, said O’Rourke.
“Shawn did a great job,” said O’Rourke. He had the pool open every day but one, which doesn’t usually happen. she said. Adverse weather often closes pools.
The city had estimated that it would have to make up $23,575 out of the general fund to pay pool expenses. “You never make money on a pool,” O’Rourke said.
But the city actually had to provide $36,500. Being off by $13,000 isn’t bad for the first year since the city had no idea what to expect, said O’Rourke.
