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The Springfield News-Sun is committed to covering issues in Moorefield Township, including its emergency sign trailer and new playground equipment at Moorefield Family Park.
The Northridge Swim Club has begun efforts to save its 60-year-old neighborhood pool.
The pool needs an estimated $60,000 to $80,000 in repairs, including a new filtration system, plumbing work and updates to the concrete surface, according to Andrea Smith, the pool board’s treasurer.
The group is holding a fundraiser from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday at the club, 4530 Ridgewood Road West. An anonymous donor is also set to match funds raised at the event.
Smith said the aging facility runs fine, but updates need to be made to help the pool stay open well into the future.
“We plan to be open in 2014, but with this in the back of our minds: that some things need replaced,” Smith said.
Larry Shaffer of the Clark County Combined Health District’s Environmental Health Department said they’ve had no incidents at the pool. They’re working with the pool to help update the facility’s flow meter.
“My hat’s off to them for working hard to offer a nice pool,” Shaffer said.
Smith said the club approached Moorefield Township about possibly helping update the pool, but “they’re in no position to step in,” Smith said.
Moorefield Township Trustee Joe Mosier said trustees can’t use taxpayer money to update the pool, but the board supports its fundraising efforts.
The private club had 700 members last year. Members can also bring guests for a fee throughout the season, which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Prices for 2014 haven’t been set, but a family of four cost $350 this season. Members can also join the pool’s swim team, which had approximately 60 participants last season.
“We’re seeing the numbers increase each year,” Smith said.
On Saturday, the group will hold a car wash from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. They’ll have food and music from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a suggested donation of $20. Participants should bring a covered dish, drinks for their family and chairs to sit on. At 8 p.m., they’ll show Ohio State’s football game with Wisconsin on a 12-foot outdoor screen. The event is expected to take place rain or shine, Smith said.
Smith said fundraisers are key because the pool doesn’t have other amenities to generate revenue, like Splash Zone or other privately-owned businesses with pools such as GameTime Sports Center or the Elks Club.
They’re planning to hold more events — including a Dip-and-Dance next month and possibly a 5K run next spring — to help raise funds over the next year.
Smith said the pool is a big attraction for children in the summer.
“It’s a staple, especially in this little community,” Smith said. “It’s right next to the schools, and kids can ride their bikes there. During the summer, while parents are working, we get a lot of kids who ride their bikes, and that’s where they spend their day.”
For more information on the pool and Saturday’s fundraiser, visit swimnrsc.com or call or text 937-605-9970.
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