Pool takes final shape

Board makes changes to resolution to get red designation

  • Design rendering of the proposed pool design.
    Design rendering of the proposed pool design.
  • A concrete walkway that surrounds the county pool was broken into chunks of rubble as demolition of the swimming pool behind the Gilmer Civic Center continued last week.
    A concrete walkway that surrounds the county pool was broken into chunks of rubble as demolition of the swimming pool behind the Gilmer Civic Center continued last week.

    Gilmer County’s pool now has a final form.

    Plans for the pool were approved at a special called meeting March 6. Commissioners also made a change to their resolution of support for the Second Amendment.

    As demolition of the old Gilmer County pool began, the board discovered it had not approved a final plan which could be used to solicit bids for construction and engineers.

    In the final plans, the entire pool is interconnected.

    “There are a couple of advantages to this,” said Gilmer County Chairman Charlie Paris. “First is, we can get by with one filtration system. Also, we can get by with one heating system rather than having to have separate heaters for both pools.”

    Paris said it also provides an easier transition for senior aerobics. The zero-entry walk-in, or beach entry, goes into the wading pool which gradually drops to 3.5 feet.

    An opening provides access to the recreation pool which will stretch 4.5 feet across the middle then begin to slope to 5 feet then down to 11 feet 2 inches in the diving well.

    On either end of the recreation pool, the depth will be 5 feet to allow for diving entry during competitions.

    Paris said he wanted to approve the design and then begin the process to bid out construction.

    It was unanimously approved.

    Paris said the range of cost estimates are $1 million to $1.3 million.

    He said covering the entire pool would be a second phase.

    “That’s going to be a significant amount,” he said. “I’m pretty confident that we are not going to be able to do it with the initial pool installation.”

     

    Second Amendment Sanctuary

    Commissioners started the meeting with an alteration of the resolution supporting the Second Amendment which was passed Feb. 13 at a regular meeting.

    Paris made the proposal which included the language “that Gilmer County is hereby declared a Second Amendment Sanctuary/Protection County and ...”

    Originally, the resolution declared support for the Second Amendment but omitted any mention of being a sanctuary county.

    Post Commissioner Karleen Ferguson seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.