On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the Centralia City Council will convene for a special public meeting to discuss the future of the Veterans Memorial Pearl Street Pool.
The meeting will be held in the council’s chambers starting at 7 p.m. and the public is invited to attend.
According to an email from Community Development Director Emil Pierson, the council will review the pool’s history, estimated costs for different renovation options and estimated costs for operating the pool during the eight- to 10-week timeframe the pool would be open during the summer.
“I do expect that the council will vote on this issue with a decision on how to move forward at the meeting,” Centralia Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston said in an email.
The pool has been closed for more than a decade due to budget and maintenance issues. The local group Save The Outdoor Pool (STOP) has been working to reopen it ever since. In an open letter originally written in 2014 to Centralia residents and reposted on its Facebook page Wednesday, STOP stated why they believe it is important to preserve the pool.
“If we lose this pool it will be one more example of historic properties significant to our city heritage being lost, often inadvertently and with lack of foresight. With a continuing frequency of destruction of places like this pool, Centralia will lose part of its irreplaceable heritage, memories and future memories of its citizens’ lives. Places and activities that are in the public interest are vital to preserve and protect,” read an excerpt from the letter.
