By BECKY THOMAS
Staff Reporter
After a broken pipe shut it down last week, the Cheney outdoor pool is set to reopen Saturday, July 2.
Parks and Recreation director Paul Simmons announced last Friday that crews had completed a repair of a pipe that broke in the deep end of the pool, causing sand to leak out into the water when the pool first opened the weekend of June 18.
The break was likely caused by water freezing inside the PVC pipe, which replaced old metal piping in 2009. Water is left in the deep end of the pool each winter, Simmons said, adding that it's a common practice at outdoor pools.
“Prior to the 2009 fix all of the pipe was metal and it was never an issue,” Simmons said in an email. “When we repaired it in ‘09 the new code called for PVC pipe, (and) the inlet that froze was just under the surface of the water in the deep end.”
Simmons said parks supervisor Rick Engel would create a solution to the threat of freezing pipes over the winter by clearing the pipes of water and capping them before refilling the deep end with water for the winter.
City crews worked the past 10 days to gather tools and replace the damaged pipe, then to re-cement the area. Simmons said this week would be spent painting and caulking the new cement, then refilling and heating the pool for the July 2 reopening.
The cost of the repairs will likely end up between $1,000 and $2,000, Simmons said, though savings from having the pool closed for two weeks and not paying for staff would likely offset the repair bill.
Admission to the pool will be free on Saturday from 1-6 p.m., sponsored by Nixon Insurance of Cheney. All scheduled swimming lessons and swim team practices will return to the outdoor pool.
For more information, call Cheney Parks and Recreation at 498-9250.
Becky Thomas can be reached at [email protected].
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