Pool expected to open this week

After months of delays, the Green River High School’s new Aquatics Center will be open by the end of this week.

According to Sweetwater County School District No. 2’s Superintendent, Donna Little-Kaumo, the occupancy permit was granted Friday and substantial completion was achieved Monday.

With that occupancy permit, Little-Kaumo said the district has started moving furniture and equipment into the facility.

Little-Kaumo said adjustments still need to be made to the pool’s chlorine levels, something that was mentioned briefly last week during the school board’s meeting.

Mike Moody, pool manager, said they need to ad sodium bicarbonate to balance the acidity in the pool. When speaking last week, Moody said the chemical wasn’t on-site, but isn’t difficult to acquire.

A discussion last week amongst board members Steve Core and Ann Rudoff debated the appropriate time the center could be opened. Core questioned if they could have people using the pool before the 39-page final punch list was completed, citing the fact that a number of organizations want to use the aquatic center.

“We’ve got several entities chomping at the bit to jump in,” Core said at the meeting.

Rudoff said they wouldn’t be able to because of work needed to prepare the pool for actual use, saying the occupancy permit didn’t mean they could open the pool right away.

Initially, the pool was originally meant to open around the end of September and host swim meets during the Green River High School girl’s swim season.

Delays involving the center’s fire alarm system and diving boards resulted in the completion date being pushed back.

Completion was also pushed back when the district discovered the bonds sold to fund the aquatics center brought in more money that anticipated and allowed the district to fund additions to the original building plans.