Portia Williams | Daily Times
McKinley Pool lifeguards Chelsey Vaughn, left, and Carl Hairston speak recently with Assistant Pool Manager Doris Johnson, right, about the pool’s opening, which is scheduled for June 4.
PORTIA WILLIAMS
PDT Staff Writer
Preparations are being made for McKinley Pool in Portsmouth to open on Monday, June 4. The pool hours will be from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sundays. The cost for children 10 and under is $1 and $2 for others.
Assistant Pool Director Doris Johnson said there is still a need for more lifeguards to join the pool staff.
“We have been working really hard these last few weeks to make sure that everything is ready. We have done most of the work ourselves, but we did get some help from the Sheriff’s Office, who provided inmates to do some of the painting,” Johnson said.
Johnson said she is looking forward to a successful summer at the pool.
“I believe that we will have a very large number of kids to come here to swim because most of the pools are closed locally,” Johnson said.
Johnson also said she was concerned about the disproportionate number of underprivileged youth that frequent the pool, and the need of assistance for them.
“Many of the kids do not get decent meals at home; it is a really bad problem. We have been fortunate to get support from Community Action, who provides lunches for the kids Monday through Friday, and then send them home on the weekends with a backpack supply to sustain them throughout the weekend,” Johnson said.
Despite the challenges, Johnson was optimistic.
“Swimming is a good outlet for the kids, and I am glad that we can provide this source of recreation for them,” Johnson said.
Portia Williams may be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 234 or portiawilliams@heartlandpublications.com.
Where is the City Council, The Ward's Councilman, The Mayor, our city's chief executive for such things, and especially where are those city municipal judges who get so much press about their community service programs and they are not present for their own city pool nor their community service program?
Per the 2010 Annual Audit and its Management Letter by the State of Ohio, the courts can't balance their budget accounts, and for years. They don't get contributions from the rest of the county they serve and probably many more feasances, mis, non, mal, etc. that we are not allow to know of. And they can't help their own with their soooo flaunted ostentatiously community service programs with their own inmates.
Wonder why we are millions of dollars in deficits, there you have it. Volunteers have to step up to the plate and see that the children of the community are provide some of the services they deserve and need from a city government.
Those city leaders who are found wanting on this mere but important service a pool for out next generation of leaders, are probably the same people who berated and worst, our Viet Nam Veterans who's 50th. Anniversary we commemorate today. And say, today, to them "Welcome Home."
Shame on you city leaders, Shame on you.