Swimming pool reopens — Repairs, fundraising extend life of Kozisek Aquatic Center

Kozisek Aquatic Center reopened Dec. 8 after months of raising funds for repairs that are now complete and are expected to extend the facility’s lifespace for several years — an outcome Superintendent Brad LaCroix hopes the community will take advantage of.

LaCroix told the News Letter Journal on Dec. 6 that because the community came together to fund maintenance improvements, which included redoing the pool liner and replacing the boiler system with one up to date, the pool may be able to remain open for 10 to 20 years.

“Long term, pools are one of those things that are just tough to keep open,” he said. “They’re spending venues, and I hope the community understands that and they get out and use the pool the best they can.”

The pool now has a rubber membrane bottom instead of a concrete bottom, which required obtaining a different vacuum cleaner, according to LaCroix. The sound baffling in the ceiling, which reduces the echo and noise that the metal and water in the aquatic center would otherwise amplify, was also redone, according to LaCroix.

He said he appreciates the time, effort, donations and workmanship invested in the community’s aquatic center.

“I think it looks really nice,” LaCroix said. “It smells good.”

He said he hopes people “have a sense of value” about the changes, given the amount of work required. The district’s maintenance and custodial crew played a key role in the project and were on call for questions from contractors working weekends, according to LaCroix.

“Our maintenance crew busted their bottoms,” LaCroix said.

District Recreation Director Teresa Gross wrote in a Dec. 4 post on the aquatic center’s Facebook page that staff were finalizing cleaning and ensuring that chemical levels were appropriate. Her post also announced that the pool was expected to open in time for the 5 a.m. lap swim on Dec. 8 and that the pool temperatures were ready: 89 degrees for the baby pool and 80.5 degrees for the lap pool.

LaCroix said the district treats the pools with chemicals to keep them safe for multiple users. In addition to chlorine, the district uses other chemicals to balance the pH. To ensure that the water remains safe, staff test chemical levels at least every four hours, or before each new usage, such as reopening after lunch, according to LaCroix.

“It’s highly, highly monitored,” he said.

Exterior work still needs to be done on the aquatic center, such as siding, windows and roofing. He said those repairs will cost about $200,000 to $250,000, and he is working with some outside entities to raise money.

“If Santa Claus brings me about $200,000, I will start that in May,” LaCroix said. “If not, it will happen when Weston County School District No. 1 is able to acquire the necessary funding. As we speak, we do not have it.”

LaCroix said community partnerships will continue to be necessary to keep facilities such as the aquatic center open. While he supports reducing reliance on federal funding, he said, “We’ve all grown very accustomed to having some very nice things.”

Those community features include pools, parks, golf courses and hospitals, according to LaCroix. The aquatic facility will benefit people of all ages, including older residents, unlike the football and track venues the district spent money on, he said.

“I think it’s sort of the sign of the times,” he said. “I think for little communities to keep those kinds of things it’s going to be all of us working together and working differently to solve some problems. It’s just not a pool issue; it’s just small-town America.”

Dana Mann-Tavegia, the chair of the district’s board of trustees, said she and the board are “thrilled” with the aquatic center renovations.

“We are so very grateful to everyone who donated to make this happen, and are so proud of our community,” she said.

According to Mann-Tavegia, the board is thankful for the leadership of Maintenance Director Adam Ertman on the project and for the fund-raising efforts of LaCroix and other district staff.

“Swimming is the one thing we teach that not only gives students the skills they may one day need to save their own lives, but may also help them save someone else,” Mann-Tavegia said. “We hope our students and community will enjoy the benefits this facility provides for many years to come.”