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Pool Opens After Major Flooding

By Randy Ruthford - Staff Writer | Jun 20, 2024

Unseasonably cool temperatures couldn’t stop the fun of opening day at the Sistersville park and pool. The pool, which opened on Tuesday, June 11th, had suffered two major floods during the month of April making preparations to open the pool difficult for pool manager Sandy Goode, Assistant Manager Lilly Billiter, the Sistersville city crew, and the city’s park and pool board. It was definitely a community effort to pull out all the stops to make this day a reality.

Making the day especially sweet was the gracious sponsor, the Sistersville Planning Commission, giving everyone free admittance!

Park and Pool Board President Mary Ann Rutherford said, “We called in lots of reinforcement to get the pool up and running this year. Volunteers repaired lifeguard stands, helped install new filters and pipes, helped clean debris left from the flood, and the concession stand got a facelift with a new paint job.” She added their management and maintenance teams have put in long days scrubbing every inch of the pool house and deck. “It looks amazing!”

Mrs. Rutherford explained the community was fortunate to have the help of a work release crew from the St. Marys Correctional Center donate time to paint the entire pool surface several weeks ago. “Those gentlemen were hard working, helpful, polite and happy to spend the day working for our community. We are very grateful for their assistance.”

There’s still work to do at the pool as the splash pad and sliding boards are not operating, but the problems have been diagnosed and parts are on their way to make the corrections.

The park board is currently running two campaigns. One for Park and Pool Partner signs, and another for sponsorship of a free day at the pool for the community. The park and pool partner signs are a way to showcase your brand or display a message on an 18×24 aluminum sign hung along the new Pickle Ball fence and/or along the pool fence. Each sign is $100. If you are interested, please call the city building.

The Community Free Day campaign is just getting started. Business, churches, and youth serving organizations are invited to sponsor a free day at the pool for the whole community. “Our pool serves as a supervised, safe, healthy environment for our kids while school is not in session. Our new Boys and Girls Club of Tyler County will be using the pool, too, as a destination for outings. Our park also serves as a host to the Summer Feeding Program which provides healthy lunches to every child present.”

Mrs. Rutherford went on to explain that the cost for a free day is $450, which may seem high to some, but the large size of the pool mandates that four guards patrol to keep everyone safe.

If you, your business, church or youth serving organization would like to sponsor a free day, or you would like a Pool Partner Sign, please call the city building and speak with Heather or Meghan. The number is (304)652-6361.