Walbridge not opening pool this summer

Walbridge mayor Ed Kolanko last week said he’s reluctantly decided to not open the municipal swimming pool this summer due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
Traditionally, the pool opens on Memorial Day and remains open until the Labor Day holiday.
The mayor said he reached his decision after consulting with members of village council and the administration as well as other mayors in area towns.
“It’s not a decision I take lightly,” he said.
“The thing about the pool, we’re talking about kids who will not have seen their friends for two months and having a six-foot social distancing policy is not practical and would be hard to maintain,” the mayor said. “We also have to look at the health and welfare of our employees and I’ve reached out to all our returning lifeguards and talked to them individually about the decision and they understand. It’s important to us their health is maintained.
“There were a lot of factors that went into the decision. It saddens me because this is the first time I can remember the pool won’t be opened during a summer season. But we don’t see a very prudent way forward to open it this year.”
Because life guards and pool managers would have to be hired and chemicals purchased as well as having the Wood County Health Department conduct tests on the water, the pool will remain closed even if the state were to give an “all clear” signal during the summer, the mayor said.
By mid-August the pool was usually open for half days as schools opened.