Ceiling failure closes pool
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, February 6, 2002
By Kate Reardon
Herald Writer
SNOHOMISH — The closure of the Snohomish High School swimming pool this week has left the boy’s swim team without a place to practice in the face of districtwide competition.
The Hal Moe Memorial Pool closed at about noon on Monday after two soggy pieces of wallboard fell from the ceiling.
The closure also affects a local private swim team that uses the pool, as well as public activities including swim lessons, water aerobics and open swimming.
"When it’s closed, we’re losing revenue," said Karen Riddle, executive director of business and operations for the district. "We want it opened as soon as it can be opened, but we don’t want to open it until it’s safe."
Neal Powell, district superintendent, said the wallboard became wet after a dehumidification system that helps dry out the facility broke down.
The system has since been repaired, Riddle said. Now, work crews are inspecting the ceiling to find out what other kind of work needs to be done.
School officials are attempting to find other practice venues for the 25 swim team members while the pool is closed, said Eric Cahan, athletic director and assistant principal at Snohomish High School.
"It disrupts their practice a little bit," Cahan said, adding that swimmers and divers have been doing dry practices the past few days. "They’re preparing for districts this weekend. It’s tough not to get the kids in the pool."
During the closure, 80 to 100 swimmers from the Stingrays Swim Team are using the Marysville YMCA pool to prepare for an upcoming competition, said Wendy Goble, executive director of the Marysville/North Snohomish County Family YMCA.
The group will be using the pool today, Friday and Saturday, and the YMCA posted an adjusted pool schedule for patrons, Goble said.
Cahan said school officials are working on finding a pool where the high school athletes can be fit into existing swim schedules and also use diving boards.
Riddle said she was not sure how soon the pool would be reopened.
For the high school athletes, the closure could impact some of them who are training in a taper-style method where they practice really hard and then taper off their workouts prior to competition.
Some swimmers were expected to compete in preliminaries today at Marysville-Pilchuck High School. The district meet is this weekend.
You can call Herald Writer Kate Reardon at 425-339-3455 or send e-mail to reardon@heraldnet.com.
