Chester pool a dry run so far

For the children of Chester resident Ebony Floyd, this summer has been missing something: Those endless games of Marco Polo, swim races, and underwater contests.

The delayed opening of Chester's only public pool has put a serious damper on their fun.

A combination of unanticipated repairs and Mother Nature has kept the City of Chester from opening its swimming pool at Memorial Park - something that was supposed to happen on June 21.

But if all goes well, it will open Saturday, city officials said, and Floyd and family are among those hoping all does, indeed, go well.

"It provides something constructive for our children to do," said Floyd. Zayd Floyd, 9, took it to a personal level. "I want to get into the pool cause it's hot," he said.

The delayed opening has been a source of frustration.

"All the other pools open after Memorial Day," said Muhammad McBride, 33, who was watching over his children on the swings at Memorial Park. His family had come by on Sunday to see if the pool would be open and then heard it would be later in the week, he said.

Why the delay? Calls to Mayor John Linder's office were referred to Councilwoman Elizabeth Williams, who did not return numerous calls.

Duane Lee, director of parks and recreation, said safety repairs were needed.

"The pool is old," said Lee. "It just needed to be conditioned and refurbished from top to bottom."

The cash-strapped city didn't renew a previous contract with a third-party vendor and instead opted to handle the pool maintenance in house, saving about $50,000, he said.

But the city and its workers underestimated the amount of time needed to complete the job, Lee said. "Next year, we are going to start way earlier."

In addition, the rain worked against the crews, who were not able to paint the facility. Broken pipes - a product of age and rough winters - compounded the delay, Lee said.

In years past, the pool did open by Memorial Day, said former Mayor and current Republican mayoral nominee Wendell Butler.

"That is a seasonal thing that you want to be prepared for," said Butler, who said he was surprised the pool wasn't open yet.

The June 23 storm that hit the region caused an estimated $2.5 million in damage in the city, said State Rep. Thaddeus Kirkland (D., Delaware), who is the Democratic nominee for mayor.

"The problem is that now we are in a situation where there are more pressing issues," said Kirkland.

Lee said the city will try to make up for lost time once the pool opens. While the fees are modest - $20 for a family of five for the summer, for example - city officials plan to start the season with a "free week." Plus, they'll extend the season for a week past Labor Day, when the pool normally would close.