Pool to open for season on June 12

Dormont Pool is scheduled to open for the summer season on June 12. The pool was closed all of last season because of the COVID19 pandemic.

Borough council approved recommendations for 2021 on Monday. Council also approved an agreement with Jeff Ellis Management LLC for a cost of $82,986 to manage the pool for the new season.

The pool will be open daily, weather permitting, from 1 to 7 p.m. until Aug. 23 and Aug. 28-29 and Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6.

The large slide will not operate in 2021, and furniture will not be provided by the borough. Day-today operations will change to accommodate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on cleaning and sanitizing. No pool parties will be held.

The borough encourages pool patrons to purchase pool passes and has lowered the price of those passes by about $10 across the board. Price are: $50 for a resident age 3-17; $70 for a resident 18-64; $135 for a resident family; $114 for a nonresident single; $260 for a nonresident family; and $65 for a nonresident senior. Senior citizens 65 and older are eligible for a free pool pass with proof of residency.

An “early bird” discount of $25 off is available for Dormont resident families, adult and child passes if they are purchased between April 1 and May 28.

The pool will be open for exclusive use by the borough’s summer day camp two days per week from 10 a.m. to noon. The price of day camp has gone up by $20 this year to $145 per week for Keystone Oaks School District residents and $195 per week for nonKeystone Oaks residents.

“It is all of our hope that the COVID numbers stay in control because we really do want to open the pool this year. We want to open it in a safe manner for all of our residents,” Council President Jeff Fabus said.

The dates and times for pool operations had to be locked in because of timing with Jeff Ellis Management, so they will not

change even if COVID-19 numbers fall.

“It would be awesome if we could just have normal hours,” said council member Joanna Bouldin.

She added that after going through the options presented by borough administration and Jeff Ellis Management, “This feels like the version that gives us as close to normal as we can do” while recognizing the safety of pool patrons and the fiscal insecurity the borough is facing with running the pool.

Borough Manager Ben Estell has said in a typical year, Dormont spends between $125,000 and $150,000 in taxpayer money to run the pool. This year, with limits on pool capacity, Mr. Estell said the pool could see up to $44,000 in additional revenue loss but reiterated that the actual numbers could not be predicted. The pool’s capacity will be reduced to 50% this year.