If the Town of Sharon can’t replace its kiddy pool, what can it put in its place?
That’s the homework Supervisor Sandy Manko gave councilmen Wednesday: bring some ideas back in October.
The kiddy pool is leaking and deteriorating and efforts to find an affordable solution—the cost for a replacement started out at $113,000 and have grown to $200,000—for someone who’ll travel to Sharon who’s not booked out through 2024—meant the pool didn’t open this summer.
It’s also kept the town from spending any of its ARPA grant, tentatively earmarked for the kiddy pool.
Councilman Bryan MacFadden suggested it might be time to give up on it; Ms. Manko said she’d hate to do that, but she’ll “surrender” if someone can come up with a better use for the space.
A volleyball court and children’s play area were a couple of suggestions floated Wednesday.
A splash pad was also suggested, but Highway Superintendent Bill Barbic III, who manages the pool site, said that would require the same infrastructure—including an in-ground filter system--and all of the water would have to be continuously treated, making it just as expensive as a new pool.
If that’s the case, councilmen said, they’d rather spend the money on the big pool, which needs work too.
Ms. Manko said she’ll also reach out to members of the Rec Commission for their thoughts and suggestions.