VALE – The splashing and shouts that radiated from the Vale City Pool this week signaled the unofficial start of summer and the facility will offer new amenities this year.
A new $32,000 deck for the pool area was recently finished and the city also removed the old bleachers and installed new deck chairs. The deck eliminates slick spots and won’t radiate heat, helping swimmers save wear and tear on their feet when they crawl out of the pool.
“We’ve also got some new umbrellas and we are waiting for new tables to come in,” said Tom Vialpando, Vale mayor.
Vialpando said the pool is more than just another city facility.
“You know how big a deal it is? We are the only municipal pool in the county and we are in the red each year,” said Vialpando.
He said the city absorbs the costs of the pool every year because it enhances the community.
“It has a lot of history in Vale. The group that actually first got the pool going, some of those folks are still around and it means a lot to them to see it open and accessible to kids,” said Vialpando.
He said the city hopes to attract more people from out of town to the pool.
Todd Fuller, city manager, said the pool was constructed in the mid-1960s.
New this year, the Bella Sims Dream Big Swim Fund has been set up to help local residents pay for swim lessons and other swimming equipment.
The fund, spearheaded by Sherri Hironaka and Lynn McKinney along with the city of Vale, is named after Hironaka’s granddaughter, Olympian Bella Sims.
Sims, 17, is a member of the U.S. Olympic women’s swim team and won a silver medal in the 2020 games.
News tip? Contact reporter Pat Caldwell at [email protected]
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