MORGANTOWN — The Krepps Pool has been a place for families to cool off in the dog days of summer for 22 years.
For the 2018 season, however, the kiddie splash area has gone silent.
That knee-deep pool popular with toddlers was closed after safety concerns arose “during pre-season inspection,” said Melissa Wiles, executive director of the Board of Parks and Recreation (BOPARC).
The major repair involves the shifting frame, which can destabilize the structure.
Inspections also revealed rust and a problem with the fiberglass platform where children line up when waiting to go down the slide.
The splash area was covered and reclassified as a “dry activity space” for this season, Wiles said.
Because the kiddie splash area will remain closed, canopies were erected and it was redesigned as a “shade space” until repairs are made.
The inability to fix the kiddie pool this summer became a point for critics when the city council considered allocating $5.2 million to purchase the Haymaker Forest. That land deal stalled following an outcry from residents at a public hearing this month.
Wiles said the park board plans to re-open the kid’s area for the 2019 summer season.
“Safety is our first priority with all of our programs, facilities and play structures.
Unfortunately, most of those are extremely aged and do present certain challenges,” Wiles said. “We thank the community for their patronage, support and patience as we work to address our aging facilities, equipment and funding gaps.”
Wiles said BOPARC will recognize funding sources for the project in the proposal, and add a campaign for community support as well.
According to Wiles, the proposal is in place as a formal request and opportunity for playground providers to bid on the project. The project is required to go through the bidding process because its price tag is expected to be higher than $25,000.
For more information, on Krepps pool and the repair project, go to http://www.bo parc.org/krepps-pool.html.
