Seven Fields awarded grant for pool renovations
Seven Fields Borough was awarded a $250,000 Local Share Account Program grant this week for the Town Park Pool renovation project.
“This is actually very good news,” borough manager Tom Smith said. “We didn’t anticipate getting this grant, because it’s so competitive.“
The grant, which was announced Thursday, March 16, 2023, by state Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47th, will fund the third phase of improvements to the community pool.
“You’ll see that the majority of this (phase) is actually dealing with the pool itself, which was constructed in probably the late ‘90s,” he explained. “There’s a new plaster surface, a new filtration system, new lights, the zero-depth addition. There’s a new concrete deck, a new water slide.”
The total cost of phase three, Smith said, is expected to be $528,600 and will be completed in-house by the public works department.
“So, this grant is $250,000, but the wonderful thing about this grant is normal state grants are a 50-50 match, so we would have (had) to come up with $250,000, but this grant is just so competitive because it’s only a 15% match,” Smith said. “So our cash match would be $37,500.”
The grant will reimburse the borough for nearly half the cost of these improvements, including new outdoor furniture.
“That’s why council and the mayor and myself are so grateful to the Butler County Parks and Rec Department that assisted us in the past with getting monies for the feasibility study,” Smith said. “We’re also very grateful to the senator for all his assistance and also our new state representative (Stephenie Scialabba).”
The effort to renovate Town Park Pool began two years ago, Smith said, in response to its aging infrastructure.
“We were seeing things breaking, wearing down,” he said. “Overall, it was outdated.”
Conversations then began with residents to determine what they were looking for in the facility, according to Smith, and the project was broken into manageable phases for the borough.
“The first phase started last year,” Smith said. “And what we did is renovated the outside bathrooms at the park; we put in new tile, new sinks, everything. We started the inside bathrooms in the locker room, and then we also did our concession stand.”
Phase two of the project began earlier this year, which involved updating the exterior to match the recently renovated community center.
“And now, this year, we’ve moved to the outside of the building,” Smith said. “We still have a little bit more tile to wrap up in the locker rooms; and now we’re putting in decorative pillars and decorative fencing — and we’ve actually increased the area.”
Smith said the fence has been moved back approximately 20 yards to allow more area for sunbathing and general use of the facility.
The second phase of renovations is expected to finish in time for the pool’s 2023 opening, according to Smith, and the third phase will likely begin work next year.
“I can’t over-emphasize what a great job the public works department did,” Smith said. “Council had the foresight to make these improvements, and our Seven Fields Town Park complex area has definitely had a facelift.”
The newly renovated Town Park Pool’s anticipated opening is set for Memorial Day weekend. Smith said he and borough council are excited to show off the work that has been done and look forward to completing the project as it heads into its third phase.
“We’re looking forward to completing these renovations,” Smith said. “We think the residents and all pool patrons will be very pleasantly surprised and will enjoy the facilities for years to come.”
