Like many homeowners this time of year, Abington is getting its pool ready for the summer.
The Department of Public Works recently pumped out the Island Grove Pool and then cleared out several inches of muck and mire from the bottom of the popular town swimmin’ hole.
The pool is drained and cleaned out annually. But this year workers gave it an extra thorough dredging to remove a few seasons worth of accumulated sediment and silt that had built up on the pool’s bottom, according to recreation coordinator Kelly Johnson.
Crews also hauled in and spread more than 100 cubic yards of new sand, including along the beach area and shoreline.
“We know how popular the Island Grove Pool is during the summer months for many families in town, so we’re excited we can try to make it an even better experience,” said Rachel Collins, chairwoman of the Abington Parks & Recreation Commission. “A big thanks is owed to John Stone and his crew for their hard work getting the area ready.”
The pool is fed by an underwater spring. The water is then chlorinated and filtered during the summer swim season.
Family passes are now available online, Collins said, adding there will be limited availability for day passes on certain days and at certain times.
The commission along with the public works department has been working on strategies to combat a couple growing problems in recent summers: the number of people – and groups – swimming after hours, and the amount of trash left behind by nighttime visitors. Johnson said lifeguards every morning have to walk around and collect broken bottles, trash, and other things left behind overnight.
New signs are up clearly stating that swimming is not allowed without lifeguards present, and that all visitors must clean up after themselves. The town has also installed new security cameras to catch any after-hours scofflaws. Johnson said the commission also met recently with Deputy Police Chief Chris Cutter, who pledged to help address some of the nighttime issues.
[DISCLOSURE: The author is married to the chairwoman of the Parks & Rec Commission.
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